IN AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS: PART 12:2†

Providence Public Library

Miroslav Krek

Weston, Mass.

Providence Public Library 150 Empire St. Providence, Rhode Island, 02903. Contact person: Philip J. Weimerskirch, Curator. Final survey made Aug. 7, 1998 .^‡

1.

[Alif b¯a’] Arabic-alphabet singular and in combination followed by A.hsan al-Kh¯aliq¯in . Inc.: <sub.hAnaka al-ll_ahm_a wa-bi-.hamdika wa-tabAraka ismuka wa-ta`AlY ^gadduka wa-^galla _tanA'aka\| wa-lA 'il_aha .gayruka>. Written by Mu.s.taf¯a W¯asif, Gh¯az¯i of Su.lt¯an al-Ham¯id Kh¯an in 1150/1737-8 in rather large naskh, calligraphic script. The date seems to have been tampered with and may have read 1250/1834-5. 19 unnumbered fols. measure 17 w x 25.5 h cm.; the written surface measuring 12 h x 12.3 h cm., var. 6 lines to page; illuminated ‘unw¯an and other gold leaf illuminations. The wove, light brown paper is glazed and watermarked with letters V. G. The leather binding is gilt tooled. Provenance Edith Wetmore, collection of children's books, ca. 1952. Uncataloged.

2.

Mukht¯ar A‘m¯a. Durj al-maz¯am¯in . Inc.: <'ay kalAm az a`.zam nAm tw ziyUr\| yAfth> Copied or written 1257/1841 in medium size nasta‘l¯iq . The 8 fols. measure 12.8 w x 19.7 h cm.; the written surface measuring 9.2 w x 14 h cm., varies, is ruled with lines. 7 lines to page with catchwords on bottom of page. Multicolor pictures of animals and plants interlinear. Small ‘unw¯an . Paper is laid and blue, no glazing. Acquired ca. 1955 from Edith Wetmore. Uncatalogued. Identified by Ms. M. B. Homaee.

3.

Ris¯alat al-faq¯ih Sayyid Muhammad ibn ‘Az¯iz al-Ighr¯is¯i R¯atib Masjid al-Qasbah al-Hamr¯a’ . Written in 1283/1866 by ‘Abd All¯ah al-‘Arab¯i in medium maghrib¯i hand. 5 fols. measuring 18.2 w x 10 h cm. The written surface measuring 15.5 h x 10 w cm. varies. 21 lines to page. Bound in buckram covered boards with gilt leather label. From the Daniel Updike Collection. Shelf no.: P 091.A658.

Footnotes:

^† Editor's note: Part 12:1 appeared in MELA Notes 67-68

^‡ Editor's note: For background, the reader is referred to “ULASMAI–A Progress Report” MESA Bulletin 26 (1992) 185-187. (ULASMAI = Union List of Arabic Script Manuscripts in American Institutions.)