An illustrated copy of a section of Nizami's Khamsa (Khosrow and Shirin and The Seven Beauties), North India, Kashmir, 19th centuryPersian manuscript on paper, 20 lines to the page written in black nasta'liq divided in four columns, ruled in yellow, red and blue, f.1b loose and cropped with a polychrome heading with the beginning of Khosrow and Shirin, the other heading in the middle of the manuscript, with 22 illustrations, including Bahram Gur visiting the seven pavilions, misbound incomplete and with sections loose, at least two different hands, the contemporaneous brown leather binding with three stamped roundels, the borders with stamped flowersLeaf: 27.5 by 17cm.; text panel: 21 by 12cm.Provenance: From the collection of the late Jerzy Ostrovsky, who lived in Kabul in the 1960's and 1970's, working as the dentist to the Western diplomatic corps.

Condition report: In fair condition, many pages damaged and cropped, misbound and with many holes, signs of dump and humidity, the paper in bad condition, loose from binding