[Alchemical compilation]

Name:

Ḥusaynī, Ibrāhīm, active 15th century

Timespan:

Early works to 1800

Date:

1496

Description:

Working notes of an alchemist, who signs himself as the compiler and composer of the manuscript (f. 127v). Lacking at least one leaf at the beginning, if not more (early pagination begins at 2, f. 1r), with repairs on extant first and last leaves. Includes a commentary on an unknown text and references to the concept of balance found in the work of 8th-century alchemist Jābir ibn Ḥayyān and to Pythagoras. Many marginal notes.

Language:

Arabic

Provenance:

Formerly owned by ʻAbd al-Razzāq al-Mūsawī (stamp, f. 6v).; Sold by Sam Fogg Ltd. (London) to Lawrence J. Schoenberg, Feb. 2001.; Deposit by Lawrence J. Schoenberg and Barbara Brizdle, 2011.; Gift of Barbara Brizdle Schoenberg, 2019.; Mūsawī, ʻAbd al-Razzāq, former owner.

Relation:

The Lawrence J. Schoenberg and Barbara Brizdle Manuscript Initiative Fund Home Page: http://hdl.library.upenn.edu/1017.12/366278; Digital facsimile for download (OPenn): http://openn.library.upenn.edu/Data/0001/html/ljs403.html; Video orientation: https://hdl.library.upenn.edu/1017.12/100000300

Subject:

Alchemy -- Early works to 1800; Alchemy

Resource Type:

Text

Form/Genre:

codices (bound manuscripts); compilation manuscripts; anthologies; commentaries; Stamps (Provenance); Manuscripts, Arabic; Manuscripts, Renaissance; manuscripts (documents)

Physical Description:

173 leaves : paper; 153 x 98 (115-130 x 65-80) mm bound to 158 x 115 mm

Rights:

https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Notes:

Ms. codex.; Alchemist whose workshop was near the Bab al-ʻIrāq (Iraq Gate) in Herat.; Title supplied by cataloger.; Foliation: Paper, i + 173; [1-173], modern foliation in pencil, upper left recto; earlier pagination in ink, 2-347 (f. 1v-173v). References in this record are to modern foliation.; Layout: Written in 15-24 long lines.; Script: Written in nastaʻlīq script in black ink; pointed.; Decoration: Rubrications and overlining in red ink.; Binding: Rebound in reddish-brown leather without boards and a flap that covers the fore-edge, but does not extend over the textblock.; Origin: Written in Herat, now in Afghanistan in A.H. 901-904 (1496-1499) by Ibrāhīm al-Ḥusaynī (colophons, f. 7r, 23r, 37r, 38r, 47r, 127v, 173r).; Lawrence J. Schoenberg & Barbara Brizdle Manuscript Initiative.; Arabic.

Physical Location:

Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Manuscripts, LJS 403

Collection:

Lawrence J. Schoenberg Collection (University of Pennsylvania)