Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi (d.1273 AD), the six books of the Mathnawi, Persia, Timurid, dated 904 AH/1498 AD

Persian manuscript on paper, 383 leaves plus a flyleaf, 19 lines to the page, written in small nasta'liq script in black ink within 4 columns separated by gold intercolumnar rules, titles picked out in larger red, gold and blue, catchwords, margins ruled in the same colours, illuminated double page frontispiece decorated with a fine interlace of split-palmettes and polychrome flowers against a blue ground, the text within cloud bands against a gold ground, including two couplets in praise of Rumi’s Mathnawi, 5 further corresponding illuminated headpieces at the start of each book, brown morocco binding with gilt-stamped cartouches and corner-pieces filled with chinoiserie cloud band motifs

In reasonably good overall condition, binding worn with losses and associated repair, beginning and end pages with some paper repairs to leaf edges, small loss to lower right page illumination, occasional spotting and other stains, pages generally clean and illumination bright, as viewed.
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