Nazm-ı Dilârâ, [1231, i.e. 1815 or 1816].

Elegant autograph copy of the versified Persian-Turkish glossary of the müderris Osman Şakir (whose name appears in Īḍāḥ al-maknūn as ʻUthmān Shukrī, d.1818?). Apparently inspired by the popular Tuhfe-yi Vehbî (used for many years in Ottoman schools) of Sünbülzâde Vehbi Mehmet Efendi (d.1809), see opening matter on p.5-15.

Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Library, Isl. Ms. 414

Origin: As appears in colophon (accompanied by oval seal impression) at close on p.103, transcription executed by the author Osman Şakir (عثمان المشتهر بالشاكر المدرس بدار السلطنه), müderris (مدرس). Date appears much earlier in the opening matter (see p.15), 1231 [1815 or 16] (represented by a chronogram incorporating the title "دا ... نظم دلارا").

Former shelfmark: "12 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" inscribed in pencil on interior of upper cover.

Binding: Pasteboards faced in dark indigo textile (silk) and edged in red leather (silk faced, leather edged, framed binding) ; Type II binding (with flap) ; possibly two-piece binding (split in spine leather may lie where one flange overlaps the other) ; pastedowns and flyleaves (front flyleaf missing) in a marbled (kumlu or kılçıklı ebru in red) European laid paper (three crescents watermark visible in back flyleaf) ; upper and lower covers carry fine gold-tooled scalloped mandorla (filled with symmetrical vegetal composition) and pendants, all in red leather onlays, with gold-painted stroke accents and tooled chain or guilloché roll border in a series of s-shaped stamps flanked by gold-painted rules ; design continues on envelope flap ; sewn chiefly in yellow thread, two stations (added bifolium in opening gathering sewn in dark brown thread, see p.8) ; worked chevron endbands in yellow and pink, in fair condition with tailband detaching ; overall in fairly good condition with minor abrasion of textile, lifting of onlay in pendant on lower cover, splitting and lifting of leather at fore edge flap joint (meeting lower cover) and spine, etc.

Support: European wove paper with watermark "J ROSE 1801 [or 1804?]" visible (see p.2, 4, 22, 24, 52, 58, 70, 80, 88, 102) ; highly burnished with margins silver-flecked and tinted pastel blue, pink, green, yellow, etc.

Decoration: Illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening on p.2 consisting of w-shaped piece filled with swirling floral vegetal motifs in gold, white, pink, yellow, orange and red on fields of gold and dark blue all set in a well of bands in white (with black scallop pattern) , yellow (with black crosses) and pink (with red lozenges and cross-hatching) and surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in red and gold ; appearing at openings of subsequent sections are rectangular pieces with gold cartouches (carrying headings in red, blue-green or white) flanked by similar floral motifs and surrounded by colored bands ; written area (often tinted pale green, pale pink, etc.) surrounded by gold frame, with a second gold band defining the margin ; margins tinted (pastel blue, yellow, pink, green, etc.) and gold-flecked ; textual dividers in the form of gold rosettes with red and light blue accents ; keywords rubricated, chrysographed or in blue-green, orange-red or red-brown ; illuminated tailpiece flanks seal impression of author at close.

Script: Naskh ; elegant Ottoman hand ; partially seriffed with right-sloping head-serif on ascenders other than alif, effect of tilt to the left, curvilinear descenders (some sweeping), mainly open counters, elongation of horizontal strokes, pointing in conjoined or distinct dots ; fully vocalized.

Layout: Written in 13 lines per page ; frame-ruled (impression of misṭarah / ruling board evident).

Collation: V+I (12), 4 V(52), i ; exclusively quinions, with single bifolium added to opening quinion ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during cataloguing.

Dedication: As appears in opening matter on p.7, composed for Sultan Mahmud II (r.1223-55/1808-39).

Colophon: "Scribal," reads "بخط ناظمه المفتقر الى الله الغافر عثمان المشتهر بالشاكر المدرس بدار السلطنه

Explicit: "هر ايشك صوكينه دى انجام كار كنه پایان اسپرى اتمام كار فاعلاتن فاعلاتن فاعلات ازبر ايله ساكه بسدر بو لغات"

Incipit: "نام ايزدله قلالم اغاز ايده لم نظم كلامى ممتاز قله لم نام شريفن هران صدق واخلاصله تاورد زبان ... سبب تاليف كتاب بعد ازين عزم خطابم دكله سبب نظم كتابم دكله چونکه شاهنشه دارادربان ... يعنى كم حضرت سلطان محمود بولدى بر اصف والا قدرى ثاقب الفكر جدير صدرى ... دير كه بو شاكر عبد اضعف احسن وجهله يازدم الطف فارسى لفظنى قيلدم تقديم تركيجه ترجمه ياننده نديم فارسى اول اولنجه هر بار تركى معنيسى بولينور نا چار ... اصلنى فرعنى ايله تحصيل اد تاريخله همپا اولدى هربرى نظم دلارا اولدى ..."

Title from margin of incipit page (p.2) and opening matter (p.15).

Ms. codex.

W. Björkman and Kathleen R.F. Burrill, "Sünbül-Zāde Wehbī," In EI2

W. Björkman, "Sünbül-Zāde Wehbī," In EI

İsmail Paşa. Īḍāḥ al-maknūn,

Elegant autograph copy of the versified Persian-Turkish glossary of the müderris Osman Şakir (whose name appears in Īḍāḥ al-maknūn as ʻUthmān Shukrī, d.1818?). Apparently inspired by the popular Tuhfe-yi Vehbî (used for many years in Ottoman schools) of Sünbülzâde Vehbi Mehmet Efendi (d.1809), see opening matter on p.5-15.

Mode of access: Internet.

Acquired by purchase (funds donated by Horace Rackham).

Accompanying colophon at close (p.103), oval seal impression in name of the author Osman Şakir (ʻUthmān Shākir / عثمان شاكر), inscription reads "الله غافر ... عبده عثمان شاكر ٠٧" (i.e. possibly dated 1207 [1792 or 3]) ; possible former inventory mark "(١٥)" on 'title page' (p.1) ; marginal glosses.