[Gulistān] [manuscript] / Saʻdī ; Mohammad bin shaykh jalal qunūji qurayshi alsadīqi.

Year follows Islamic lunar calendar.

"Commissioned (sponsored) by the Honourable Sobhan -- May God blessings be forthcoming year 1059 Hijri Qamari (1649 CE). Written by the humble Pir Mohammed Ibn Sheikh Jalal Qanouji Quraishi Al-Seddiqi"--Translated colophon.

Gold sprinkled black and red text in nasta'liq script. Title and first leaf finely illuminated in gold and colour. Raman spectroscopy carried out in August 2011 revealed the following pigments on f.1: white lead, red lead, lazurite, vermilion, orpiment, carbon black, and an unidentified green pigment.

Binding: Persian binding, brown goatskin with inlaid decorations, rebound and rebacked in calf with portions of original covers laid on, spine blind tooled.

Provenance: printed slip from bookseller's catalogue tipped onto pastedown; bookplate: "Ex Libris E.C. Simpson" ; marginal pencil notes in English and Farsi. Sold at Dunbar Sloane Wellington auction 22 April 2009, lot 159, purchased by the Alexander Turnbull Library. Acc. 402724.

Alexander Turnbull Library Rare Book copy. Additional copy specific details available on request from Curator, Rare Books and Fine Printing.