Poetry and fables

 
1. Turkish poetry. Written on coloured and silhouetted papers. Anthology of poems and poetical letters. Undated, ca 1650. Green page above right contains poem by Nezami from Ganja, Azerbaijan (1141-1203).
Acquired by Gustaf Celsing in Constantinople, used by him as Turkish translator in the Chancery, transferred to the Royal Library in 1731 according to the note above left. [Riedel 52].

2. Persian poetry in luxury binding. Sa'dī, Būstān "Orchard" (inner text) and Gulistān "Rose garden" (margin), Persian nasta'liq script. Ca 1700. - Oriental leather binding with impressed animal and floral decoration; on inside painted and cut-out decoration with mythological figures: Sun depicted as a Mongolian female head in a flame carried by 'angels' peris. Decoration reminds of 15th century Herat bindings. - Hedenborg collection.
The two most well-known works by the poet Sa'di (d. Shiraz 1291), Būstān in epic verse, 1257, Gulistān in prose, 1258. [Riedel 30].

 
3. Humājūn nāme "The Royal Book" - Book of fables and Mirror of Justice in Turkish. Dated 1623. Translated from the Persian Anvār-i-Suhailī, "Rays of Canopus", an adaptation of Kalila wa Dimna by Husain el-Vā'iz el-Kāšifi (d. 1505). Name of writer: Nūri.
Acquired by Hans Perman at Adrianople 1713 and donated to the Library in 1738, according to notes above left. [Riedel 63].
Literature:
Riedel, W., Katalog över Kungl. bibliotekets orientaliska handskrifter. Stockholm 1923.

Updated: 2011-12-18
Editor: Göran Bäärnhielm