A Small Safina form Anthology of Poetry, Persia, Qajar, dated 1206-7 AH/1791-2 AD

Persian manuscript on paper, 109 leaves, 6 to 7 lines to the page written diagonally in cloudbands in Shikasteh script in black ink in two columns, against gold ground throughout, double intercolumnar rules, margins ruled in gold, opening and closing illuminated headpiece in colours and gold composed of scrolling split palmettes and interlacing flowers, 2 double page miniatures in gouache heightened with gold, 2 further illuminated headpieces and 2 further miniatures at the beginning and end of the manuscript, soft red leather binding with tooled central medallions with a ropework border in gold, with fitted box

In good overall condition, pages mostly clean, some margins in need of repair, 2 central text panels loose at the beginning and end, binding rubbed, as viewed.
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inscriptions

The manuscript bears many colophons stating it was copied on the request of someone of nobility referred to as a'lahazrat  (most exalted) Aqa Abu'l-Hasan by the scribe 'Ali Asghar Hamadani in the dar al-saltanh (capital) Isfahan between 1206 AH/1791-2 AD and safar 1207 AH September-October 1792 AD. 

A few other recorded works by 'Ali Asghar indicate he was a son of Haji Mirza Muhammad Hamadani and a known scribe working in Isfahan in late Zandi and early Qajar period.  His recorded work include a copy of the kuliyyat of Sa'di commissioned for Baba Khan, the nephew of Agha Muhammad Khan Qajar and the future Fath'ali Shah in 1202 AH/1788-9 AD (B. Atabay, fehrest-e divanha-ye khatti va ketab-e hazar-o yak shab-e ketab-khaneh-ye saltanati (Catalogue of the divans and One Thousand and One Night in the Gulistan Palace Library), two volumes,Tehran, vol.I, no.231.  For other works by him see, B. Atabay, vol.II, nos.349, 452, 520 and 522) and the marginal commentaries of a Qur'an with parts of Patron's name erased (most probably Agha Muhammad Khan, the founder of the Qajar dynasty) sold at Christie's (London, 10 October, 2000, lot 20).

The patron is not identified although he might be the famous Abu'l-Hasan, later Fath'ali Shah's envoy to the court of King George in 1224-5 AH/1809-10 AD. He was a nephew of Ibrahim Khan I'timad al-Saltanah, Prime Minister under Agha Muhammad Khan and Fath'ali Shah.