North American Collections
of Islamic Manuscripts
Catholic Microfilm Center
Graduate Theological Union Library
24 51 Ridge Road
Berkeley
California 94709
Contact:
John J. Alhadef, S.J.
Director
In the spring of 1976, the Catholic Microfilm
Center disbanded. The former Director, Father
Alhadef, has informed the author that further in-
formation about the final disposition of the some
1200 titles on negative microfilm photographed in
Lebanon and Syria can be obtained from Father
Harry Corcoran, 1735 Le Ray Ave., Berkeley,
CA 94709. The University of Utah has a positive
copy of the films.
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
2 The Bancroft Library
University of California at Berkeley
Berkeley
California 94720
Contact :
Leslie S. Clarke
Rare Books Librarian
Arabic: 3 MSS— 2 Qur'ans, 1 partial
Qur ' an
2 leaves
Persian: 15 MSS
28 leaves
Turkish: 1 leaf
Plus — 45 uncatalogued MSS in Arabic, Persian and
Eastern Turkic
History: No information available on source or
date of acquisition.
Subjects: Other than the Qur'ans, subjects un-
specified.
Catalogue: All but the 45 uncatalogued MSS are
inventoried on cards.
Bibliography: None
3 Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles
California 90036
Contact:
Elaine Poulos Dietsch
Assistant Registrar
Arabic: IMS— Qur' an
58 leaves
Persian: 3 MSS— 2 Khamsa's of Nizam*, 1
"Lives of the Muslim' Saints"
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
145 leaves — primarily miniatures
Turkish: 1 MS— prayer book
7 leaves
History: The holdings are part of a collection of
art objects gathered by Nasli and Alice Heera-
maneck and was donated by Mrs. Joan Palevsky to
the Museum in 1973.
Subjects: The Heeramaneck Collection includes
Islamic miniatures and calligraphy as well as
metalwork, ceramics, stone sculpture, glass,
etc.
Catalogue: A catalogue of the collection was pre-
pared by Pratapaditya Pal for an exhibition
held in 1973/74, see below. In addition, all
items are provided with registry cards.
Bibliography:
1. Binney, Edwin, III. Turkish Miniature
Painting s and Manuscripts from the Collection of
Edwin Binney 3d. Portland: Portland Art Asso-
ciation, 1962.
2. Grube, Ernst J. Islamic Painting from the
11th to the 18th Century in the Collection of
Hans P. Kraus. New York: Hans P. Kraus , 1972.
pp. 66-68.
3. Pal, Pratapaditya. Islamic Art: the
Nasli M. Heeramaneck Collection . New York:
Praeger, 1974.
University Research Library
University of California at Los Angeles
Los Angeles
California 90024
Contact :
Dunning S. Wilson
Near East Bibliographer
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Arabic: 2878 MSS
Persian: 1197 MSS
Turkish: 902 MSS
Uncatalogued : 2397 MSS, mostly Turkish, includ-
ing fragments
History: Holdings were acquired by purchase or
gift during the 1960's. The collection in-
cludes groups of manuscripts from Istanbul,
Aleppo, Kerman, the Minasian private library
of Isfahan, and the Wellcome Institute of
Medicine, London (non-medical items).
Catalogue: Dr. Muhammad Taqf Danish-pizhuh of
Tehran University took notes, during the sum-
mer of 1974, on the majority of manuscripts
(during the count made by this author in
February, 1976, it became clear that those MSS
uncatalogued by Dr. Danish-pizhuh were of lit-
tle worth, many of them being student note-
books). Final preparation of a handlist, includ-
ing indices, is in progress by Dr. Danish-
pizhuh. The Aintabi collection from Aleppo is
furnished with an alphabetical registry file,
prepared by Dr. Salih Alich, which is located
in the Department of Special Collections of the
Library. Dr. Ilhan Basgoz of Indiana Universi-
ty has prepared a checklist and description of
contents for 40 of 139 Turkish conk manu-
scripts. A catalogue of the Persian medical
manuscript collection has been completed by
Dr. Lutz Richter-Bernburg of Frankfurt. This
catalogue, available in unpublished format, is
located in the Department of Special Collec-
tions of the Library. Professor Rudolph Gelpke
of UCLA made three different purchases of MSS
in Kerman (A-84, P-52, T-l) and provided a com-
plete descriptive checklist of the volumes
which is available within the Library.
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Bibliography:
1. Perlmann, Moshe. M A 17th century exhorta-
tion concerning al-Aqsa," Israel Oriental Studies ,
3(1973), pp. 261-292.
Edition and translation of one of the MSS in
the collection.
Lane Medical Library
Stanford University Medical Center
300 Pasteur Drive
Palo Alto
California 94305
Contact :
Claire Still
History-Reference Librarian
Arabic: 15 MSS — 5 medicine, 1 pharmacy, 1
alchemy, 1 grammar, 1 liter-
ary, 1 history, 1 law, 2
Qur'ans, 1 religious, 1 prayer
book
Persian: 12 MSS— 10 medicine, 1 natural his-
tory, 1 geography
Turkish: 4 MSS — 1 medicine, 1 biography,
1 calligraphy, 1 poetry
Plus — 1 Syriac, 9 Urdu, 10 unidentified
History: The above are from the collection of
Professor E. Seidel of Meissen. Medicine is
the primary subject. The acquisition was made
in 1921.
Catalogue: Holdings are partially identified on
catalogue cards.
Bibliography:
1. O'Malley, Charles D. "The Barkan Library
of the History of Medicine and Natural Sci-
ences," Stanford Medical Bulletin , 9(1951),
pp. 145-55.
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
A second article describing the collection.
2. Ophuls, Louise. "The Historical Collec-
tion of the Lane Medical Library," California and
Western Medicine . 23(1925), pp. 576-9.
Description of the Seidel Oriental Collection
by the then librarian at Lane Library.
6 Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino
California 91108
Contact:
Jean F. Preston
Curator of Manuscripts
Arabic: 14 MSS— 12 Qur'ans, 2 translations
from Samaritan (Joshua, Penta-
teuch)
Persian: 4 MSS— 3 literary, 1 veterinary
medicine
Turkish: None
History: Source and date of acquisition unspe-
cified.
Catalogue: Inventoried on cards from booksel-
lers' and donors descriptions.
Bibliography: None
Case Memorial Library
Hartford Seminary Foundation
55 Elizabeth Street
Hartford
Connecticut 06105
Contact:
Nafi M. Donat
Archivist
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Arabic: 1277 MSS
20 incomplete MSS
322 fragments of one or more
sheets
3 scrolls
Persian: 36 MSS
Turkish: 91 MSS
Plus — 10 unidentified MSS
History: Some of the MSS were gathered by Duncan
Black Macdonald in Cairo in 1907-8. Some were
gathered by Madiros Harootioon Ananikian and
purchased for Case Library by Robert Garrett in
1924. Some were given by Edwin Elliott Calver-
ley, John Kingsley Birge and Fred Field Good-
sell.
Catalogue: Dr. Rudolph Mach prepared a catalogue
of 1239 of the Arabic MSS in the years 1954-58.
This catalogue is typed on sheets and is avail-
able for use in the library. Additional fig-
ures given above were obtained from a quick
inventory conducted by Mr. Donat and the
author.
Subjects: All of the traditional Islamic sci-
ences are represented.
Bibliography:
1. Macdonald, Duncan Black. "(untitled no-
tice)," Journal of the American Oriental Society ,
16(1896), pp. lxx-lxxvi.
Eight MSS are described by Macdonald.
2. Randall, William Madison. A Detailed
Catalogue of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Anan -
ikian Collection . PhD thesis submitted in 1929
to the Seminary Foundation.
Covers 130 MSS in the collection.
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
8 The Watkinson Library
Trinity College
Hartford
Connecticut 06106
Contact :
Margaret F. Sax
Assistant Curator
Arabic: 3 MSS— Qur'ans
Persian: None
Turkish: None
History: Two of the MSS were given by Mary Turn-
bull Prime in 1905 who acquired them in Egypt.
The third MS was acquired at unknown date.
Catalogue : None
Bibliography: None
Wadsworth Atheneum
600 Main Street
Hartford
Connecticut 06103
Contact:
Elizabeth G. Hoke
Librarian
Arabic: 1 MS — Qur'an
3 leaves
Persian; 5 leaves
Turkish: None
History? The Qur'an is a gift of Mrs. Samuel Colt
madf? in 1905; the leaves are a gift of Kirkor
Mlix&ssian in 1921.
Catalogue: Inventories on acquisition cards from
descriptions by the donors.
Bibliography: None
8
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
10
Yale University Art Gallery
Box 2006, Yale Station
New Haven
Connecticut 06520
Contact :
Jerry Bolas
Assistant to the Director
Arabic: None
Persian: 33 leaves— 24 miniatures, 5 cal-
„, , . , ligraphy, 4 Mughal paintings
Turkish: None
History: The collection has grown by donation
since 1937. Principal donors include Mrs.
William H. Moore, Mrs. Wilson P. Foss, Jr.,
Allen Wardell, and the Hobart and Edward Small
Moore Memorial Collection.
Catalogue: The holdings are listed on cards.
Bibliography:
1. "A group of seven exquisite Persian minia-
tures, in beautiful condition," A Collection of
Persian a nd Indo-Iranian Miniatures and Manu-
scripts, forming part of the collection of M oham-
medan art exhibited at the gallery of P. Jackson"
H iggs, 11 East 54th Street, New York . No date or
pages given, however, Mr. Bolas indicates that the
year is 1925.
11 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Yale University
1603A Yale Station
New Haven
Connecticut 06520
Contact :
Marjorie G. Wynne
Research Librarian
Nokth AM ER]CA K COLLECHONS OP , SLAM1C M ANUS C RIPTS
Persian
Turkish:
Papyri:
***» ^3 MSS-97 in the Salisbury, 835
m the Landberg, 434 in the
AOS Hodgson, and 382 added
mostly from the Rescher collec-
tion
303 lf tZ 23A Catalo ^d on cards,
I* AOS, 5 AOS Hodgson, 50 un-
catalogued, mostly from the
Rescher collection
AOS SS Ho"d 188 Cat ? l0 S Ued > * AOS, 13
AOS Hodgson, 206 uncatalogued
91 qT^ ReSCher collection '
219 Arabic items catalogued on
cards
Beinecke Libra™ tL tZV h ° USed in the
yet transferee ti^llTlTV^T (not
br^Y-ir «-f I1M1, De J-necicej is from the 3i-
donated t ^ Aolin ^TJ' Ge ° r8lB - Xt was
- a« s r «c\^ 9M ta * ^<«* — y
(mV^O 1 ! 8 ) 7 ^^ £>»;«£ Salisbury
1841 to 1856 a n.™£ of / rab] -e at Yale from
were once l„' f h» ^" ° f theSe """"scripts
baron S^e^rSecT "' ^^ IS ^ C
1848-1924) and pre'sen e Y o YalTil llo^' 8
Morns Ketchum Jessup 1900 by
Hlstoncar^dlcafLh ' m "' ly ^ the Kell "*»
Medical Library, London, acquired by
10
Mori, A»,„c.~ Coll.co,™ of lu,, M.au.c.rm
S."LS™';,5" """ ""* »" " »" «
holdings are listed by Leon Nemoy (number 1
below), excepting additions after 1956 such „„
sttftL T K Nen0y h3S P"W^he 9 d 6 a S c U he h c k a !
below S ° her colle «*» « "umber two
Catalogue: In addition to the published cata-
logues below, the Beinecke Jintains a card
catalogue of its MSS which, however, does not
include additions made since lQ.Sfi .,,-h \ ?
does include Per si an and ? urk Lh th ° U8h ^
Bibliography:
Yale'nnf m ° y : Le ° n - " Arablc ^nuscripts in the
Ir s ^d V s e c r L 1 n y Lib " ry> " ^necticut P AcadeJ .%
P 1- 3 r' -^^^ SS' 40(1956), ~
ca P ;ions 7 Of fi e ^Ste^Un^V" 1 -^ 16 fr °" PubU "
University) Ste rling Memorial Library, y a l e
p • — ' " The Res cher collection of Ar*K-}„
ver^itv'L-b 11 IUr , klSh M — iP^>" Th" ? al e tt'
versity Library fia^rfo, 47(1972), pp. 57-99
Librarv of°^' ^"h, ed. Catalogue o rt .
PP 9- ,. SUy I 1 '"*. 1930. Arabic ,
PP. 149-50, Persian, p. 209; Turkish, p. 122.
11
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
12 Historical Library
Yale Medical Library
Yale University
333 Cedar Street
New Haven
Connecticut 06510
Contact:
Ferenc Gyorgyey
Historical Librarian
Arabic: 10 MSS — medical topics
1 leaf — from a Qur'an
Persian: 4 MSS — 3 medical, one mixed medi-
cal and astrological
Persian/ 1 MS--3 treatises in each Ian-
Arabic: guage, on therapy
Turkish: None
History: The MSS form part of the Harvey Cushing
collection of books and MSS.
Catalogue: See bibliography
Bibliography:
1. Schaltenbrund, Hans et al . The Harvey
Cushing collection of books and manuscripts . New
York: Schuman's, 1943 (publication number one,
Historical Library, Yale Medical Library).
13 Institute of Christian Oriental Research
Catholic University of America
620 Michigan Avenue, N.E.
Washington
District of Columbia 20064
Contact :
Leslie S. B. MacCoull
Curator
12
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Arabic: 40 MSS
Persian: 23 MSS-Nr. 14 in the catalogue
(see below) is a blank page for
(as far as can be determined) a
_ , non-existent MS.
Turkish: 10 MSS
History: The MSS of ICOR comprise those left by
Dr. Henri Hyvernat, the noted Coptic scholar
compiler of much of the Oriental portion of the
Pierpont Morgan collection, and founder of
ICOR, to that Institute. Aside from bound
Photographs of the entire Bibliotheque Natio-
nal Coptic collection, the entire Pierpont
Morgan Coptic collection, and the Coptic MSS
catalogued by Zoega (left by Hyvernat) , the
Institute has no other holdings.
Catalogue: The holdings are listed in a bound
note-book transcribed by C. V. Allen, secretary
to Hyvernat. y
Bibliography: None
14 Lauinger Library
Georgetown University
37th & Streets, N.W.
Washington
District of Columbia 20057
Contact :
George M. Barringer
Special Collections Librarian
Arabic: 5 MSS-2 Qur'ans, 1 section of a
Qur'an, 1 Coptic /Arabic prayer
book, 1 travel book
.Persian: 1 MS— sermons and prayers
Turkish: None
13
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
History: The holdings are mostly donations. The
Qur'an section was possibly given in the late
19th century.
Catalogue: None
Bibliography: None
15 The Library of Congress
Reference Department
Orientalia Division
Washington
District of Columbia 20540
Contact :
George N. Atiyeh
Head, Near East Section
Arabic: 1307 MSS— 1208 in the Mansuri col-
lection ( see History, below),
99 in the catalogue by al-
Munajjid ( see Bibliography,
below)
Persian: 83 MSS — a catalogue has been pre-
pared by Mr. Pourhadi of the
Near East Section, but has not
been published
Turkish: 6 MSS — These have been catalogued
by Mr. Bodurgil of the Near East
Section and recorded on micro-
film. The catalogue (in card
form) has not been published.
History: The Mansuri collection was inventoried
by Dr. Stehle of the Library of Congress
shortly after acquisition in 1945. This inven-
tory is on cards in the Near East Section, and
Dr. Stehle believes some of the MSS to be
unique. The other holdings have been acquired
as small donations or purchases from various
14
I
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
individuals. There are many separate leaves
which the Preservation Section of the Library
is treating as time and budget allow. Thus
far, twenty items have been preserved in Perma-
life frames. Calligraphy predominates.
Bibliography:
1. al-Munajjid, Salah al-Din. Catalogue of
Arabic Manuscripts i n the Near East Section of the
Library of Congress. Beirut: New Book Publishing
House, 1969. In Arabic.
16 Freer Gallery of Art
Smithsonian Institution
Washington
District of Columbia 20560
Contact:
Esin Atil
Curator, Islamica Section
Arabic: 18 MSS
84 leaves
Persian: 20 MSS
293 leaves
Turkish: 4 MSS
9 leaves
History: The collection has grown mainly by
purchase.
Catalogue: The holdings are listed in a card
catalogue in the Gallery library. Because
more than one method was used in compiling the
card file, the figures given above represent
only the number of cards the author counted in
the card file. Dr. Atil notes that individual
miniatures of a MS are registered on separate
cards.
15
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Bibliography:
1. Atil, Esin. Exhibition of 2500 years of
Persian art . Washington: Smithsonian Institu-
tion, 1971.
2. . Turkish art of the Ottoman period .
Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1973.
3. . Art of the Arab world . Washing-
ton: Smithsonian Institution, 1975.
17 Woodruff Library
Emory University
Atlanta
Georgia 30322
Contact :
Linda M. Matthews
Reference Archivist
Arabic: 1 MS — Qur'an, eastern Turkey or
northwest Persia, c. 1500 A.D.
Persian: None
Turkish: None
History: Purchased in 1962 by a missionary to the
Near East.
Catalogue: Entered in rare book and manuscript
catalogue of the library.
Bibliography: None
18 Georgia State Library
301 Judicial Building
Atlanta
Georgia
Contact:
Donn L. Odom
State Librarian
16
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Arabic: l MS S —writ ten by a slave called
ibn 'Ali; unidentified con-
tents
Persian: None
Turkish: None
History: "A famous document reputed to have been
written in an Arabic dialect by a slave on one
of the Great Georgia coastal plantations. Ben
ali, the slave himself, gave this little book
to the Rev. (Francis Robert) Goulding. " From a
description of the Goulding collection given in
1933 to the Georgia State Library by Benjamin
Lloyd Goulding, grandson of Francis Robert
Goulding.
Catalogue: Inventoried in the list of the Gould-
ing Memorial Gift.
Bibliography:
1 - Journal of Negro History , 25 (July, 1940)
no. 3.
19 The Newberry Library
60 West Walton Street
Chicago
Illinois 60610
Contact:
John Tedeschi
Head, Special Collections
Arabic: 34 MSS— 10 Qur'ans, 8 prayer books,
4 Islamic law, 3 calligraphy (on
rolls), 3 biographies, 2 calen-
dars, 1 hadith , 1 collection
proverbs, 1 literary, 1 letter
6 leaves — prayers
Persian: 8 MSS— poetry
16 miniatures
Turkish: 4 MSS— literary
17
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
History: The bulk of the collection is formed by
purchase from Henry Probasco in 1890 and dona-
tion by Everett E. Ayer in 1911.
Catalogue: 21 of the MSS were described in 1912
by Duncan Black Macdonald; all of the collec-
tion is described on catalogue cards.
Bibliography:
1. Macdonald, Duncan Black. The Arabic and
Turkish Manuscripts in the Newberry Library .
Chicago: The Newberry Library, 1912.
20
The Archibald Church Medical Library
Northwestern University
303 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago
Illinois 60611
Contact:
Joan P. Davis
Medical Reference Libn.
Arabic: 6 MSS— medical
Persian: 11 leaves— 6 miniatures, 5 cal-
ligraphy
Turkish: None
History: The collection was donated by Casey A.
Wood between 1930 and 1939 (cf. McGill Univ.
collections); the Arabic MSS are described by
Giorgio Levi della Vida and are from Max Meyer-
hof r s library in Cairo. The Persian leaves are
described by Vladimir Ivanov (cf . McGill Univ.
collections) -
Catalogue: Descriptions by Giorgio Levi della Vid;
and Ivanov are indexed in the card catalogue in
the library.
Bibliography: None
18
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
21 Oriental Institute Museum
University of Chicago
1155 East 58th Street
Chicago
Illinois 60637
Contact:
David Nasgowitz
Assistant Curator
Arabic: 107 MSS
431 Papyri
Persian: 26 MSS
Turkish: 9 MSS
History: The collection has grown primarily by
purchase.
Catalogue: The Arabic MSS and papyri are cata-
logued in the bibliography below. The Museum
maintains a title/subject listing of Persian
and Turkish MSS.
Bibliography:
1. Abbot, Nabia. "Arabic Marriage Contracts
among Copts," ZDMG, 95/1(1941), pp. 59-81.
2. . "A fragment of the Thousand
Nights," JNES, viii/3(July, 1949).
3. . "The monasteries of the Fayyum,"
AJSL , 53/l(Oct, 1936), pp. 13-33.
4. . The Rise of North Arabic Script and
its Kur'anic Development, with a full description
of the Kur'an manuscripts in the Oriental Insti-
tute . Oriental Institute Publication #50, n.d.
5. . Studies in Arabic Literary Papyri
I, Historical Texts . Oriental Institute Publica-
tion #75, n.d.
6. . Studies in Arabic Literary Papyri
II, Kur'anic Commentary and Tradition . Oriental
Institute Publication //76, n.d.
19
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
8. Krek, Miroslav. "A catalogue of Arabic
manuscripts in the Oriental Institute of Chicago,"
American Oriental Series T essay 3 , 1961.
22 Joseph Regenstein Library
University of Chicago
1100 East 57th Street
Chicago
Illinois 60637
Contact :
R. W. Allison
Special Collections
Arabic: 2 MSS— -1 section of a Qur'an, 1
scroll with Arabic prayers
Persian: 2 MSS- -Raudat al-Safa* by Mir
Khwand, Mahbharata in Persian
translation
Turkish: None
History: No information on the history of the
collection was given. However, the Arabic
scroll is reportedly the first half of Pier-
pont Morgan MS 499.
Catalogue: Unspecified. The MSS are probably
listed in the Special Collections catalogue.
Bibliography: None
23 Northwestern University Library
1935 Sheridan Road
Evans ton
Illinois 60201
Contact:
R. Russell Maylone
Curator
20
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Arabic :
Persian:
Turkish:
4 MSS-Qur'an, 2 prayer books, 1
religious tract
I MS — Shah-nama
II leaves — 2 miniatures, 9 cal-
ligraphy
None
History: Source and date of acquisition unknown.
Catalogue: The collection is described on acqui-
sition cards.
Bibliography: None
24 The Lilly Library
Indiana University
Bloomington
Indiana 47401
Contact:
Virginia Lowell Mauck
Assistant Curator of MSS
Arabic: 16 MSS— 6 Qur'ans (one now missing) ,
3 partial Qur'ans, 5 religious,
1 Qanun of Ibn SIna, 1 had it h
1 leaf — sayings of the Prophet
8 papyri — some Copto-Arabic, others
Arabic only
•Persian: 3 MSS — Dlwah and Qasa'id of Hafiz,
Yusuf wa Zulaikha of Jam!, Haft
Aurang of Jam!
Turkish: 12 MSS— 5 legal ( fetwah 's), 3
religious, 3 medical, 1 lit-
erary
1 papyrus fragment
History: The collection began with a single Qur'an
(gift, 1955) and has grown since then with the
papyri (gift, 1957), and other MSS: 1961—3
(gift), 1962—1 (purchase), 1967—5 (gift 2, pur-
21
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
chase 3), 1969—9 (purchase), 1971—4 (purchase),
1972—3 (gift), 1976—5. The interest in MSS is
primarily to show examples of types rather than
an effort to acquire particular works.
Catalogue: The manuscript department maintains a
card-catalogue with full descriptions of its
holdings.
Bibliography: None
25 The Frank M. Folsom Ambrosiana Microfilm
and Photographic Collection
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame
Indiana 46556
Contact:
A. L. Gabriel
Director
Arabic: This collection, a project spon-
sored in part by the Samuel H.
Kress Foundation, is a micro-
film record of nearly all the
Bibliotheca Ambrosiana classi-
cal, medieval, renaissance and
modern material until 1800. In-
cluded are almost all of the
Arabic MSS in the library.
Persian: None
Turkish: None
History: This project, to record and make avail-
able the holdings of the Ambrosian library, has
been carried out over the past several years.
Catalogue: The collection is provided with those
catalogues which have been printed and de-
scribe the Ambrosian manuscripts by language
22
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
and other groupings. Those describing the
Arabic are given below.
Bibliography:
1. Gabriel, Astrik Ladislas. A Summary Cata-
logue of Microfilms of One Thousand Scientific
Manuscripts in the Ambrosian Library, Milan .
Notre Dame, Indiana: University Mediaeval Insti-
tute, 1968.
2. Loefgran, Oscar and Traini, Renato. Cata-
logue of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Biblioteca
Ambrosiana . Venice: Antico Fondo e Medio Fondo
Neri Pozza Editore, 1975.
26 Archabbey Library
St. Meinrad's College
St. Meinrad
Indiana 47577
Contact:
Simeon Daly
Librarian
Arabic: 1 MS— partial Qur'an
Persian: None
Turkish: 1 MS— Turkish 19th century visa
History: Source and date of acquisition unknown.
Catalogue: None
Bibliography: None
23
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
27 The University Libraries
University of Iowa
Iowa City
Iowa 52242
Contact :
Frank Paluka
Head, Special Collections
Arabic: 8 MSS— 5 Qur'ans, 2 tafslr, 1 un-
identified
Persian: 2 MSS— 1 Shah-nama , 1 Laila wa
Ma j nun
Turkish: None
History: The collection was formerly in the
Davenport, Iowa Public Library and belonged
previously to Charles A. Ficke of Davenport.
Catalogue: The holdings are catalogued on acqui-
sition cards.
Bibliography: None
28
Logan Clendening History of Medicine Library
University of Kansas Medical Center
Rainbow Boulevard at 39th Street
Kansas City
Kansas 66103
Contact:
Bernice D. Jackson
Rare Books Librarian
Arabic : None
Persian: 1 MS — Tasrlh-i Mansur , 17th cen-
tury anatomy
7 leaves — 4 with miniatures
Turkish: None
24
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
History: The manuscript is a gift of Mrs. Alfred
B. Clark, but source of leaves and dates of
both acquisitions unknown.
Catalogue: Both items listed on cards.
Bibliography: None
29 Department of Special Collections
Spencer Library
University of Kansas
Lawrence
Kansas 66045
Contact:
Ann Hyde
Manuscripts Librarian
Arabic: 4 . MSS— 1 religious, 1 Christian,
1 calligraphy, 1 Qur'an
1 leaf — from a Qur'an
Persian: 10 MSS— 6 poetry, 1 religious, 1
archery, 1 literary, 1 Zafar-
nama
2 leaves — poetry
Turkish: 1 MS— history
History: Sources and dates of acquisition are not
known, and the collection appears to have grown
through gifts made to the University at differ-
ent times.
Catalogue: Holdings described on cards from in-
formation on slips in the MSS.
Bibliography: None
25
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
30 Frances Carrick Thomas Library
Transylvania College
Lexington
Kentucky 40508
Contact :
Roemel Henry
Librarian
Arabic: None
Persian: 1 MS — "probably the second volume
of Sharif al-Din (Ali Yazdi) 's
Zafarname. . ." identified by
Ananikian of Hartford Seminary
in 1918
Turkish: None
History: Date and source of acquisition unknown.
Catalogue: Identification in manuscript form on
fly-leaf of MS.
Bibliography: None
31 Howard-Tilton Memorial Library
Tulane University
Audubon Place at Freret Street
New Orleans
Louisiana 70118
Contact:
Ann Gwyn
Head, Special Collections
Arabic: 1 MS — religious
Persian: None
Turkish : None
History: Part of a collection on bookmaking pre-
sented by Dr. John C. MacKowen to Tulane Uni-
versity Library in 1897.
26
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Catalogue: None; inventoried as unidentified old
Arabic MS.
Bibliography: None
32 The Milton S. Eisenhower Library
Johns Hopkins University
Charles and 34th Street
Baltimore
Maryland 21218
Contact:
Carolyn Smith
Special Collections
Arabic: 2 MSS--2 Qur'ans, one on loan to
Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore
(cf. Hitti, Princeton , no. 1156
for a description); the other in
Special Collections, Eisenhower
Library (an imperfect 18th cen-
tury Turkish dopy)
Persian: 3 MSS — Zafar-nama on loan to Wal-
ters Art Gallery, Baltimore
(cf. Moghadam, Princeton , no. 54
for a description) ; one contain-
ing Pand i At tar and Turkish-
Persian lesson and vocabulary;
one dlwan by unknown poet
1 MS containing Hindustani, Persian
and Arabic intermixed
Turkish: None
History: The two MSS in Walters are Garrett MSS
given at an unspecified date. The second
Qur'an is a gift of Miss Eleanor Turnbull at
unspecified date. Date and source of remaining
MSS unknown.
Catalogue: Holdings are listed on catalogue
cards.
27
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Bibliography:
1. Hitti, Philip K. Descriptive Catalogue of
the Garrett Collection of Arabic Manuscripts in
the Princeton University Library . Princeton:
Princeton University Press (Princeton Oriental
Series, No. 5), 1938.
2. Moghadam, Muhammad E. Descriptive Cata-
logue of the Garrett Collection of Persian, Turk -
ish and Indie Manuscripts in the Princeton Univer-
sity Library . Princeton: Princeton University
Press (Princeton Oriental Series, No. 6), 1939.
33 Institute of the History of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University
1900 East Monument Street
Baltimore
Maryland 21205
Contact:
Doris E. Thibodeau
Librarian
Arabic: 3 MSS--1 Qur'an, 2 medicine
Persian: None
Turkish: None
History: MSS acquired by donation from various
individuals at unspecified dates.
Catalogue: Titles ("A specimen and Model of
Medicine" by Rhazes and "Ghanl wa Nani" of Abu
Mansur al-Qamari) written in fly-leaves of the
medical MSS. All items listed on catalogue
cards.
B ib 1 io gr ap hy ;, None
28
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
34 National Library of Medicine
History of Medicine Division
8600 Rockville Pike
Bethesda
Maryland 20014
Contact :
John B.
Blake
Head
Arabic :
92 MSS
Persian:
28 MSS
Turkish :
9 MSS
History: The Collection was purchased from A. S.
Yahuda in the early 1940's. The Army Medical
Library collections were transferred to NLM
after the latter's formation. Since the cata-
logue listed below was compiled, some addi-
tional purchases were made. These are not
reflected in the numbers given above.
Catalogue: See below. The additions to the col-
lection have not been catalogued.
Subjects: Medical.
Bibliography:
1. Schullian, Dorothy M. and Sommer, Fran-
cis E. A catalogue of incunabula and manuscripts
in the Army Medical Library . New York, Henry
Schuman, (1950).
35 Walters Art Gallery
600 North Charles Street
Baltimore
Maryland 21201
Contact :
Lilian M. C, Randall
Curator, Rare Books & MSS
29
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Arabic: 41 MSS
Persian: 65 MSS
Turkish: 10 MSS
Plus — 8 albums of miniatures & calligraphy
Plus — 83 leaves (Persian, Indian, Turkish)
Plus — 2 MSS on indefinite loan from Johns Hop-
kins University, q.v. supra , entry 33
History: The collection was formed by Henry Wal-
ters, noted art connoisseur and bibliophile.
A number of additions have been made since his
death in 1931.
Catalogue: Inventoried on catalogue cards.
Subjects: Unspecified
Bibliography:
1. Miner, Dorothy E. "The collecting of Is-
lamic manuscripts in America," Seventh Interna-
tional Congress of Bibliophiles, Acts . New York,
1971.
36 Amherst College Library
Amherst College
Amherst
Massachusetts 01002
Contact:
J. Richard Phillips
Special Collections Librarian
Arabic: 3 MSS — 1 Qur'an, 1 grammar, 1
French-Arabic translation of
Christian doctrine
Persian: 3 MSS — 1 astronomy, 1 hadith, 1
calligraphy/ grammar
Turkish: None
30
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
History: Collection has grown from various do-
nations.
Catalogue: Descriptive information on cards.
Bibliography: None
37 The Library
Boston Athenaeum
10 1/2 Beacon Street
Boston
Massachusetts 02108
Contact:
Ann L. Wadsworth
Reference Librarian
Arabic: 1 MSS — one volume containing five
collections of poetry and lit-
erary prose.
Persian: None
Turkish: None
History: Purchased at unknown date.
Catalogue: A list of contents was prepared by an
unnamed professor at the Semitic Museum of
Harvard University.
Bibliography: None
38 Boston Public Library
Copley Square
Boston
Massachusetts 02117
Contact:
James Lawton
Rare Books & MSS
31
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Arabic: 3 MSS— 1 Arabic/Spanish treaty,
1 cosmographia (QazwTnT) , 1
collection of tracts on
mathematics
Persian: 2 MSS— 1 Khamsa of NizamI, 1
Lawa * ih of J ami
Turkish: None
History: Sources and dates of acquisition un-
specified.
Catalogue: 'Described on cards.
Bibliography: None
39 Francis A. Countway Library
Harvard University Medical Center
10 Shattuck Street
Boston
Massachusetts 02113
Contact:
Richard Wolfe
Head, Rare Books Department
Arabic: 10 MSS— three in Hebrew charac-
ters
Persian: None
Turkish : None
History: The manuscripts are from various dona-
tions left to Boston Medical Library which has
been combined with the Harvard Medical School
Library in the new Countway Library building.
Catalogue: There is a card catalogue for MSS of
all languages arranged in alphabetical order
by title and subject; however, there is no
separate listing in the catalogue for Arabic,
Persian or Turkish languages.
32
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Bibliography:
1. Ballard, James F. A Catalogue of the Medi-
cal and Renaissance Manuscripts and Incanabula in
the Boston Medical Library . Boston, 1944.
Some of the MSS are described here.
40 Asiatic Department
Museum of Fine Arts
465 Huntington Avenue
Boston
Massachusetts 02115
Contact:
Joyce Paulson
Assistant Curator
Arabic: 8 MSS— mostly Qur'ans
105 leaves — miniatures and cal-
ligraphy
Persian: 5 MSS— poetry
187 leaves — miniatures and cal-
ligraphy
Turkish: 74 leaves—miniatures and cal-
ligraphy
History: The collection is from various funds and
donors among whom are Denman W. Ross and John
Goelet. The Francis Bartlett Donation largely
provided for the acquisition of the Goloubew
Collection.
Catalogue: On cards
Bibliography:
1. Coomaraswamy, Ananda K. "Les miniatures
orientales de la collection Goloubew...," Arsls-
lamica, 13(1929).
The department keeps a registry of publications
which refer to or have reproductions of various
items in the collection.
33
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
41 Fogg Art Museum
32 Quincy Street
Cambridge
Massachusetts 02138
Contact:
Stuart Cary Welch
Curator, Islamic and Indian Art
Arabic: 5 MSS
64 leaves
Persian: 2 MSS
289 leaves
Turkish: 2 MSS
19 leaves
History: The collection has grown from various
donations over several years.
Catalogue: There is a card catalogue registry of
acquisitions from which the above numbers were
derived. It must be remembered that 'leaves'
are given one entry card when the acquisition
consists of one or more sheets and that the
figures above reflect the number of cards.
There is a large number of cards for Indian
miniatures which include some Mughal and Dec-
can, and therefore Islamic pieces.
Bibliography:
1. Schroeder, Eric. Persian Miniatures in the
Fogg Museum of Art . Cambridge, 1942.
42 The Houghton Library
Harvard University
Cambridge
Massachusetts 02138
Contact :
Rodney G. Dennis
Curator of Manuscripts
34
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Arabic: 800 MSS— 722 in the Semitic Museum
deposit, 71 in the general col-
lections, 7 uncatalogued
Persian: 65 MSS— 31 in the Houghton collec-
tion, 34 in the Semitic Museum
deposit
Turkish: 37 MSS
History: The manuscripts have been acquired over
a number of years from different sources. The
deposit from the Semitic Museum, located at
6 Divinity Avenue, is housed temporarily in
the Houghton Library.
Catalogue: Arabic— The Arabic MSS of the Semitic
Museum were first catalogued by John Orne in
1902 in a descriptive handlist of 334 items.
In 1959, these MSS were transferred from the
Museum to Houghton Library, and 11 items were
discovered missing. Further additions to the
deposit brings the current total to 722, and
these are briefly noted in a checklist pre-
pared by J. de Somogyi.
Persian— The Houghton Persian MSS are list-
ed in a card catalogue, and 18 of the Persian
MSS are catalogued by Rustam Aliyev in a type-
script available in Houghton.
Turkish— In 1974, Mrs. Emel Tekin prepared
a typescript checklist of the 37 Turkish MSS
in Houghton. There are, in addition, four
boxes of documents deposited by the American
Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
which appear to contain mostly correspondence.
Bibliography:
1. Nuskhaha-i Khatti , 4(1966), pp. 1-12.
Iraj Afshar lists 50 MSS in the Houghton Li-
brary. Pearson reports this figure, but I have
3 r
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
been unable to consult the publication to ascer-
tain whether this figure includes MSS from the
Semitic Museum deposit.
2. Orne, John. "Proceedings," JAOS , 15(1893),
cciii-ccv.
Two MSS of the Semitic Museum are described.
A3 Widener Memorial Library
Harvard University
Cambridge
Massachusetts 02138
Contact :
David H. Partington
Head, Middle Eastern Department
Arabic: 306 MSS volumes; approximately 500
titles
Persian: None
Turkish: None
History: The MSS have been acquired between 1970
and 1977 by gift/purchase from various sources,
principally Father Abu Sa'b of Beirut and E. R.
Sasson of Netanya.
Catalogue: The volumes are temporarily housed in
the Middle Eastern Department of the Harvard
College Library, and a catalogue is under prep-
aration as time is available to the Middle
Eastern Librarian.
Subjects: Dr. Partington reports that the MSS
primarily deal with Islamic sciences such as
taf sir and hadith .
Bibliography: None
36
North Amer,can Coubtow of Islamic Manuscripts
44 Fitchburg Art Museum
Merriam Parkway
Fitchburg
Massachusetts 01420
Contact:
Peter Timms
Director
Per^' ; X leaf -^identified
tS: ^--identified
U±S ^[f ifr^ ^ dat6S ° f ^-itlon un-
Catalogue: Nature of catalogue unspecified.
Bibliography: None
45 Peabody Museum
East India Marine Hall
Salem
Massachusetts 01970
Contact:
Barbara B. Edkins
Librarian
Arabic: 23 MSS
Persian: None
Turkish : None
History: The manuscripts are part of the library
Saler e M 6nd W , iUiam Bentle * (1759-1819) of ^
library M : f SS the hU r ttS - ^^ h — d if the
Worcester M* Aa f rican Antiquarian Society in
Worcester, Massachusetts, the MSS have been
housed m the Peabody Museum recently and"
currently on indefinite 'loan to the Essex ll
stitute of Salem, Massachusetts. *""
37
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Catalogue: No catalogue has been made; there is a
brief list of items held by the Essex Institute.
Bibliography: It is believed that this collection
is the one partially described by E. E. Salis-
bury in "Valuable Arabic Manuscripts at Wor-
cester, Mass.," JAOS, 2(1851), pp. 337-9.
46 The Library
Brandeis University
Walt ham
Massachusetts 02154
Contact :
Miroslav Krek
Head, Acquisitions Department
Arabic: 4 MSS: 2 Qur'ans, 1 Dala'il al-
khairat , 1 'Udda al-hisn al-
hasin
Persian: 6 MSS: 1 Laila wa Ma j nun , 1 Haft
paikar , 1 Makhzan al-asrar , 1
Khusrau wa Shir in , 1 Diwan of
Anwar! , 1 Ilahi-nama of 'At£ar
4 leaves: Shah-nama
Turkish: None
History: Acquired through gifts, mainly from
Olin D. Sang.
Catalogue: Fully catalogued in a list available
within the library.
Bibliography:
1. Krek, Miroslav. Middle Eastern Manuscripts
in the Brandeis University Library . To be pub-
lished in 1977.
38
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
47 Worcester Art Museum
55 Salisbury Street
Worcester
Massachusetts 01608
Contact :
Penny Mat tern
Librarian
Arabic : None
Persian: 1 MS — Yusuf wa Zulai kha of JamI
and Laila wa Ma.jnun by Mak-
tabl, 18th cent.
35 miniatures
Turkish: None
History: The collection grew from 2 miniatures
from the Kahn collection in 1917 and one from
an unidentified source in 1918. In 1935, 19
miniatures from the collection of Georges J.
Demotte ( see bibliography below) were acquired
with the addition of 3 others. In 1962, 9
miniatures were left by bequest of Alexander H.
Bullock, and one additional miniature was ac-
quired. There are also 29 Indian paintings
acquired as gifts of Alexander H. Bullock and
Boris Mirski, bequest of Mrs. Frank E. Heywood
and purchase through the Jerome Wheelock Fund,
The manuscript was acquired in 1945.
Catalogue: Holdings are listed on acquisition
cards, and in the bibliography below many in-
dividual items are discussed.
Bibliography:
1. Cott, Perry B. "Recent accessions of Near
Eastern miniature paintings," Worces ter Art Muse.u?n
Annual, 1(1935-6), pp. 32-48.
Acquisitions of 1934 are discussed.
2. Grube, Ernst J. Muslim Miniature Paintings
from the XIII to XIX Century in Collections in
North Ame rica. Venice: N. Pozza, 1962.
39
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
3. Riefstahl, Rudolf M. An Exhibition of
Persian and Indian Miniature Paintings from the
Collections of Demotte, Inc. New York, 1934.
48 Department of Rare Books and Special Collections
711 Hatcher Graduate Library
The University of Michigan
Ann Arbor
Michigan 48109
Contact :
Harriet C. Jameson
Head
Arabic: 750 MSS— 98 in Hamid collection;
158 in Tiflis collection; 215 in
Yahuda collection; 134 in McGreg-
or collection; 31 unaccessioned;
105 in Heyworth-Dunne collec-
tion; 9 in general collection
37 leaves — 20 items in Mediaeval &
Renaissance collection at //117,
121 and 227; 17 items from per-
sonal papers of Ahmad Zaki 'Abu
Shadi, late Egyptian poet
Persian: 175 MSS— 107 in Hamid collection; 1
in Tiflis collection; 5 in Yahuda
collection; 5 in McGregor collec-
tion; 6 in general collection; 52
unaccessioned
Turkish: 90 MSS— 62 in Hamid collection; 9 in
Yahuda collection; 10 in McGregor
collection; 6 in general collec-
tion; 7 unaccessioned; 1 Chagati
Mixed Langs.: 32 MSS— 22 in Hamid collection; 2 in
Papyri:
Tiflis collection; 6 in Yahuda
collection; 2 in McGregor col-
lection
163 entries in a checklist, some
entries for more than one piece
40
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
History: The Hamid and Tiflis collections were
purchased by an anonymous benefactor in 192A
and described on cards in 1925 by W. H. Wor-
rell. The Yahuda, McGregor and Heyworth-
Dunne collections were acquired between 192A
and 1946. The McGregor MSS were acquired with
funds from Tracy McGregor of Detroit by Pro-
fessor Karpinski of Michigan in 1933/34 as part
of a "purchase of Arabic and Turkish Books,
MSS, and Globes and Instruments" (from an entry
in the donor's file in the library). Personal
papers of 'Abu ShadI, the late Egyptian poet,
were purchased in 1975.
Catalogue: In addition to the 450 MSS in the
Hamid-Tiflis collections described by Worrell,
the Yahuda and McGregor collections plus 15
MSS of the general collections have been de-
scribed on cards. The total number of MSS on
cards is 851. There are apparently many errors
on the cards, and in May, 1973, Dr. Mohammad
Taqi Danish-pizhuh of Tehran took notes on the
MSS in hopes of correcting and improving the
catalogue. His revisions have not yet been re-
ceived.
Subjects: Most of the Islamic sciences, litera-
ture and history are represented. The McGregor
collection is entirely astronomy and mathe-
matics.
Bibliography: None
49 The University of Michigan Museum of Art
Alumni Memorial Hall
Ann Arbor
Michigan 48104
Contact :
Nest a R. Spink
Curator of Collections
41
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Arabic: 6 leaves— 5 Qur'ans, 1 Materia
Medica
Persian: , 1 MS — Shah-nama
6 leaves — 3 miniatures, 3 cal-
ligraphy
Turkish: 1 leaf —Muslim law
History: The collection has grown from 1957 to
date.
Catalogue: All items are described on registry
cards.
Bibliography: None
50 The Detroit Institute of Art
5200 Woodward Avenue
Detroit
Michigan 48202
Contact:
F. Warren Peters, Jr.
Librarian
Arabic: 8 MSS— 4 Qur'ans, 1 list of "Com-
panions at the Battle of Badr,"
2 prayer books, 1 literary work.
16 leaves
Persians 3 MSS— 2 Wahshi's Shirin wa Farhad ,
1 Ni?ami Lai la wa Majnun
10 leaves
Turkish: 3 leaves
History: Separate leaves are part of two pur-
chases, one in 1925, the other in 1928. 9 MSS
were given in 1939, 1 in 1954, another at un-
specified date.
Catalogue: All items are described on registry
cards. Number two in the bibliography below
describes some of the MSS.
42
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Bibliography:
frrl\u Gr Y h TTT ErnSt * MuSl±m Minl *t"re Paintin g
um?' : G » U «' Le ° n - Blb liothSque de Madame G .
Whitney Hoff. Paris, 1939. pp. 114-6.
51
Hill Monastic Manuscript Library
St. John's University
Collegeville
Minnesota 56321
Contact:
Julian Plante
Director
Arabic: A large^number of the Arabic MSS in
the Osterreichische National-
bibliothek have been microfilmed
as part of the HMML (formerly
the Monastic Manuscript Micro-
film Library) project to record
monastic and other European li-
brary collections on film.
Persian: None
Turkish: None
History: The project of filming all mediaeval
manuscripts extant in European libraries began
in 1964. To date, all of the Austrian collec-
tions have been visited, and those of Malta
and Spain are in progress. While the thrust of
the project appears to fall mainly in the area
or Latin and vernacular MSS, Near Eastern MSS
are filmed at the discretion of the field di-
rector.
Catalogue: HMML has prepared a checklist of manu-
scripts which provides project numbers cprre-
43
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
sponding to particular manuscripts of each
collection. Where a collection is not provided
with a readily available catalogue, the check-
list gives a brief description.
Bibliography: The works below are catalogues of
the Arabic, Persian and Turkish Manuscripts in
the Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek.
1. Fluegel, Gustav. Die arabischen, persi-
schen und tiirkischen Handschrif ten der kaiser-
lich-koniglichen Hofbibliothek in Wien . Wien,
1865-67. 3 vols.
2. Loebenstein, Helene. Katalog der ara-
bischen Handschriften der Osterreichischen Na-
tionalbibliothek; Neuerwerbungen , 1868-1968 ,
vol. 1 (Wien, 1970).
52 The Minneapolis Institute of Art
2400 Third Avenue South
Minneapolis
Minnesota 55404
Contact :
John W. Ittman
Curator of Prints and Drawings
Arabic: 1 MS — bound fragment of Qur'an
4 leaves
Persian: 1 MS — Baharistan by Mir Hu sain al-
Husainl
33 leaves
Turkish: None
History: The holdings have been acquired mostly
by purchase, notably with the Katherine Kit-
tredge McMillan Memorial Fund (a bequest of
Mrs. Margaret McMillan Webber in 1951-52).
Catalogue: All items are described on cards.
Bibliography: None
44
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
53 Ames Library of South Asia
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis
Minnesota 55455
Contact:
Henry Scholberg
Librarian
Arabic: None
Persian: 12 MSS
Turkish: None
Urdu: i MS
History: The MSS are part of a library begun by
Charles Lesley Ames, a St. Paul, Minnesota
businessman in 1907. Incorporated in 1948, the
Ames Library entered into contract with the
University of Minnesota in 1952 to become part
of its library system on July 1, 1961.
Catalogue: Internal card file.
Bibliography: None
54 William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art
Atkins Museum of Fine Arts
4525 Oak Street
Kansas City
Missouri 64111
Contact:
Janet Dreiling
Assistant Registrar
Arabic: l MS— Qur'an
Persian: 38 leaves— 28 miniatures, 4 illu-
minations, 3 calligraphy, 3
Mughal miniatures
Turkish: None
45
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
History: The collection was begun in 1931 and has
grown over the years primarily by purchase.
Catalogue: All items are described from seller's
notes on registry cards.
Bibliography: None
55 Department of Oriental Art
The St. Louis Museum of Art
Temporary Offices
6665 Delmar Boulevard
St. Louis
Missouri 63013
Contact :
Richard S. Cleveland
Associate Curator
Arabic: 1 MS — Qur'an
Persian: None
Turkish: None
History: MS acquired in 1938 from Mr. Samuel C.
Davis of St. Louis.
Catalogue: Described on acquisition card.
Bibliography: None
56 The University Library
University of Nebraska at Lincoln
Lincoln
Nebraska 68508
Contact:
G. A. Rudolph
Dean of Libraries
46
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Arabic: 1 MS — Qur'an
Persian: None
Turkish: None
History: Date and source of acquisition unknown.
Catalogue: Item is catalogued in card catalogue
of holdings.
Bibliography: None
57 Joslyn Art Museum
2200 Dodge Street
Omaha
Nebraska 68102
Contact:
Berneal V. Anderson
Registrar
Arabic: 2 MSS--1 Qur'an, 1 scroll almanac
3 leaves — from Qur'ans
Persian: 1 MS — Shah-nama of FirdausI
4 leaves — calligraphy
Turkish: 2 leaves — 1 Ottoman sailing permit,
1 leaf of calligraphy
History: The sailing permit was part of the Bar-
clay Chadwick collection left in 1933; the
Shah-nama , Qur'an and scroll are a gift of Dr.
and Mrs. A. F. Jonas made in 1958-59; three
leaves were a memorial gift by the children of
Mrs. Willard D. Hosford in 1966; four leaves
were bought in 1957 from Mrs. Otto E. Ege.
Catalogue: Items are described on cards from in-
formation provided by donors/sellers.
Bibliography: None
47
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
58 Gene Eppley Library
University of Nebraska at Omaha
P..0. Box 688
Omaha
Nebraska 68101
Contact :
John Christ
Director of Libraries
Arabic : None
Persian: 2 MSS— unidentified
Turkish: None
History: The two manuscripts form part of a col-
lection of some 300 items dealing with Afghan-
istan recently acquired by the library. Fuller
descriptions of the MSS and other material may
be available once the collection has been cata-
logued into the Rare Book Collection.
Catalogue : Pending
Bibliography: None
59 Gardner A. Sage Library
New Brunswick Theological Seminary
New Brunswick
New Jersey 08901
Contact:
D. L. Engelhardt
Librarian
Arabic: 11 MSS— 4 uncatalogued, 3 Chris-
tian, 1 Qur'an, 1 history, 1
Copto-Arabic , 1 collection of 9
fragments of Christian Arabic
mss.
Persian: None
Turkish: None
48
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
History: The collection has grown during the his-
tory of the seminary by donation, primarily
from missionary alumni.
Catalogue: The Qur'an and collection of fragments
are part of the main library collection and
figure in that collection's catalogue. The re-
maining manuscripts are housed in the Rare Book
Room and of them five are catalogued in that
collection's card file.
Bibliography:
1. Levi della Vida, Giorgio. "Le 'strategeme
de la vierge 1 et la traduction arabe du 'pratum
spirituale' de Jean Moschus," Annuaire de l'insti-
tut de philologie et d'histoire orientales et
slaves , 7 (1939-44), p. 83-126.
The text of the 9 fragments noted above is pre-
sented and discussed.
60 Oriental Collections
Newark Museum
43-49 Washington Street
Newark
New Jersey 07101
Contact :
Valrae Reynolds
Curator
Arabic: 1 MS— prayer book
Persian: None
Turkish : None
History: Acquired in Algiers by J. C. Dana, 1928
Catalogue: Described on card in registry file.
Bibliography: None
49
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
61 Princeton University Library
Princeton University
Princeton
New Jersey 08540
Contact :
Alexander P. Clark
Curator of Manuscripts
Arabic: 6978 MSS— 2225 in the Garrett col-
lection catalogue below, 4753 in
the Yahuda section of the Garrett
collection catalogue below.
Persian: 370 MSS— 154 in the Garrett collec-
tion catalogue below, 216 in the
Yahuda section of the Garrett
collection catalogue below.
Turkish; 336 MSS— 35 in the Garrett collec-
tion catalogue below, 301 in the
Yahuda section of the Garrett
collection catalogue below.
In addition, Professor Mach says there are about
2000 additional MSS which are not listed in
his recent catalogue and which he hopes to
catalogue in the future. These are additions
made after the acquisition of the Yahuda col-
lection.
History: The manuscripts in the Garrett collec-
tion were previously owned by M. Th. Houtsma,
Amin al-Madani, Murad Bey Barudi and A. G.
Widgery; the collection of A. S. Yahuda was
purchased with Garrett funds and properly be-
longs with that collection.
Catalogue: See below.
Bibliography;
1. Hitti, Philip K, et, al, Pes^rJ^y^ejCata-
i££J2£_the_Garrett Collection of Arabic Manu-
^0
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
scripts in the Princeton University Library .
Princeton: Princeton Oriental Texts, 5, 1938.
2. Mach, Rudolph. Catalogue of Arabic Manu -
scripts (Yahuda Section) in the Garrett Collec -
tion Princeton University Library . Princeton:
Princeton University Press, forthcoming.
3. Moghadam, Mohammad E. and Armajani, Yahya.
Descript ive Catalog of the Garrett Collections of
Persian, Turkish and Indie Manuscripts, Including
Some Miniatures, in the Princeton University Li-
brary . Princeton: Princeton Oriental Texts, 6.
1939.
62 The Library
State University of New York
at Binghamton
Binghamton
New York 13901
Contact:
Jalal Zuwiyya
Near East Librarian
Arabic: 1679 MSS on microfilm—the Islamic
Arabic MSS of the Vatican.
Persian: None
Turkish: None
History: The library has recently acquired this
large collection of Islamic manuscripts of the
Vatican.
Catalogue: See below
Bibliography:
1. Levi della Vida, Giorgio. "Elenco dei
manoscritti arabi islamic! della Biblioteca vati-
cana," Studi e Testi , 67(1935).
51
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
2. . "Secondo elenco dei manoscritti
arabi islamici della Biblioteca vaticana," Studi
e Testi , 242(1965).
63 Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society
25 Nottingham Court
Buffalo
New York 14216
Contact :
Lisa Kelly
Manuscript
Department
Arabic :
5 MSS
Persian:
None
Turkish:
None
History: All five volumes are a gift of Mrs.
George A. Plimpton made in 1924.
Catalogue: Items are catalogued (excepting titles
and authors) on registry cards, i.e., Arabic,
14th cent. 12 pages, etc.
Bibliography: None
64 Buffalo and Erie County Public Library
Lafayette Square
Buffalo
New York 14203
Contact:
William H. Loos, Curator
Rare Book Room
Arabic: 3 MSS— descriptions unavailable
Persian: 1 MS — Kulliyat of Sa'di
Turkish: None
52
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
History: Date and source of acquisition unknown,
Catalogue: Unspecified, possibly described on
registry cards.
Bibliography: None
65 Department of Rare Books
Cornell University Library
Ithaca
New York 14853
Contact:
Joan H. Winter korn
Assistant Librarian
Arabic: 11 MSS— 7 Qur'ans, 1 Christian, 2
religious, 1 word list
1 inscription on tin plate
Persian 7 MSS— 1 uncatalogued, 5 tentative-
ly identified by Mr. Fiske,
first Cornell librarian, 1 Shah-
nama
Turkish: 3 MSS— tentatively identified by
Mr. Fiske
Samaritan- DalTl al-sar'wa al-naql wa al-
Arabic: ■ 'aql
History: Dates and sources of acquisition unknown.
Catalogue: Inventoried on cards; some volumes
bearing tentative identification pencilled in-
side cover.
Bibliography: None
53
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
66 Middle Eastern Art & Archaeology Department
The Brooklyn Museum
Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn
New York 11238
Contact :
Madeline Noveck
Hagop Kevorkian Curatorship
Arabic: 9 leaves — calligraphy
Persian: 3 MSS — 1 Khamsa, 1 II emrulnas-
rah (?) , 1 manual on style
94 leaves — 59 miniatures, 35 cal-
ligraphy
Turkish: 2 MSS- 1 Hadiqat al-sa'ada , 1
Dala'il al-khairat
1 leaf — calligraphy
History: The collection has grown from donation
over the last forty years, primarily in the
mid 1930 's and 1960's.
Catalogue: All items are listed on cards.
Bibliography:
1. Katz, Lois. "A Persian Manuscript of the
Fifteenth Century," Brooklyn Museum Annual , 5
(1963-64), pp. 15-48.
67 Rare Book and Manuscript Library
801 Butler Library
Columbia University
New York
New York 10027
Contact:
Kenneth A. Lohf
Rare Books and MSS Librarian
54
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Arabic: 388 MSS— 300 in the Smith-Plimpton
collection; 41 in the general
collection; 47 in the Jeffery
collection
Persian: 104 MSS-- 102 in the Smith-Plimpton
collection; 1 in the general
collection; 1 in the Jeffery
collection
7 leaves — Smith-Plimpton collec-
tion
Turkish: 32 MSS— 26 in the Smith-Plimpton
collection; 5 in the general
collection; 1 in the Jeffery
collection
History: The Smith-Plimpton collection, acquisi-
tioned in 1931 (Smith) and 1936 (Plimpton), is
the gift of David' Eugene Smith (1860-1944),
former Professor of Mathematics at Columbia
University's Teachers College, and George
Arthur Plimpton (1885-1930). Mr. Plimpton
helped collect MSS for his friend Dr. Smith.
Since the original gift, some MSS have been
added from other portions of Dr. Smith's dona-
tion as well as from other donors. The Jef<-
fery collection, purchased in 1959 from the
estate of Arthur Jeffery (1893-1959), a former
Professor of Semitic Languages at Columbia
University, completes the bulk. of the remainder
of the holdings. The general collection, built
up from various gifts, completes the holdings.
Subjects: Arabic— Smith-Plimpton: 138 Qur'ans,
45 prayer books, 30 mathematics, 21 religious,
18 astronomy, 10 grammar, 8 magic, 5 logic, 5
literary, 5 had it h , 4 tafsTr, 3 law, 2 poetry,
2 history, 1 philosophy, 1 alchemy, 1 medicine,
1 astrology; general collection: 9 literary,
6 history, 6 grammar, 4 Qur'ans, 4 tafslr , 4
religious, 2 prayer books, 2 law, 1 logic, 1
astrology, 1 hadlth, 1 rhetoric; Jeffery col-
55
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
lection: 10 grammar, 9 religious, 9 tafslr, 4
law, 4 literary, 4 Qur'an readings, 2 logic, 1
poetry, 1 hadith , 1 kalam, 1 Qur'an, 1 history
Persian— Smith-Plimpton: 34 astronomy, 30
poetry, 8 mathematics, 6 magic, 6 literary, 5
history, 4 religious, 3 grammar, 2 prayer
books, 1 tafslr , 1 philosophy, 1 hadith , 1 med-
ical; general collection: 1 ethics; Jeffery
collection: 1 dictionary
Turkish— Smith-Plimpton: 5 astronomy, 5
poetry, 3 grammar, 3 religious, 2 government,
1 mathematics, 1 magic, 1 prayers; general col-
lection: 3 literary, 1 religious, 1 kalam ;
Jeffery collection: 1 calligraphy
Catalogue: The bulk of the collection has been
identified by A. Suheyl Unver during his stay
as a visiting scholar at Columbia in 1958-59.
The Jeffery collection and remaining uncata-
logued items have since been identified. Most
of the general collection has been identified
by Martinovitch ( see number one below).
Bibliography:
1. Martinovitch, Nicholas N. "Arabic, Per-
sian and Turkish manuscripts in the Columbia Uni-
versity Library," JAOS, 49(1929) , pp. 219-33.
2. Mendelsohn, I. "Near East collections at
Columbia," Columbia Univer sity Quarterly . 32
(1940), pp. 283-99. ~
3. "Shi'ah prayers, 1831 A.D.," Columbia Li-
brary Columns . 10:1(1960), p. 34.
4. Unver, A. Suheyl. "Islamic manuscripts
in the Columbia Libraries," Columbia Librar y
Columns , 8:3(1955), pp. 31-57
5. Yohannan, Abraham. "A manuscript of Gul
u Nauruz...," JAOS, 23(1902), pp. 102-8.
56
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
68 Jewish Theological Seminary of America
3080 Broadway
New York
New York 10027
Contact:
Menachem Schmelzer
Librarian
Arabic: 250 MSS— -approximately 40 in Arabic
characters, the remainder in
Hebrew characters
Persian: Unspecified number (approximately
four shelves) of Judaeo-Persian
MSS
Turkish: None
Samaritan: Unspecified number (approximately
two shelves)
History: The collection has grown primarily
through donation.
Catalogue: There is a catalogue of the Arabic MSS
in manuscript form available for use in the
library.
Bibliography: None
69 Department of Islamic Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street
New York
New York 10028
Contact:
Marie L. Swietochowski
Manuscript Specialist
Arabic: 11 MSS — Qur'ans, or partial
Qur'ans; 1 Dlwan of al-Farid
57
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
81 leaves — 57 calligraphy, 24
miniatures /illuminations
Persian: 24 MSS— mostly illuminated col-
lections of poetry
322 leaves — 294 miniatures, 23
calligraphy
Turkish: 2 MSS— 1 Bustan of Sa'di, 1 prayer
book
26 leaves — 24 miniatures, 2 cal-
ligraphy
Papyri: 8 items too fragmented for identi-
fication
History: The collection has grown through gifts
and bequests as well as supplemented by pur-
chases from 1889 to present. Particular donors
include Alexander Smith Cochran, Cora Timken
Burnett and Arthur A. Houghton, Jr.
Catalogue: The department maintains a complete
registry file for all acquisitions, and part of
the file for each item is a list .of publications
where reference to or reproductions of the item
have been published. Some of the most frequent-
ly mentioned are given below.
Bibliography:
1. Brian, Doris. "A reconstruction of the
miniature cycle in the Demotte Shah Namah ," Ars
Islamica , 7/2(1939), pp. 97-113.
2. Dimand, M. S. Handbook of Mohammedan
Decorative Arts . New York: Metropolitan Museum
of Art, 1930; second edition, 1944.
3* . "Dated specimens of Mohammedan Art
in the MMA, M Metropolitan M useum of Art Studies,
1(1932). ~ —
4 • . Persian Miniatures: A Picture
Book. New York"! Metropolitan Museum of Art,
1944.
5 « • Persian Miniat ure Painting. Milan,
1956.
58
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
6. Ettinghausen, Richard. Islamic Art in the
Metropolitan Museum of Art . New York: Metropoli-
tan Museum of Art, 1972.
7. Holter, Kurt. "Die Islamischen Miniatur-
handschriften vor 1350," Zentralblatt fur Biblio-
thekswesen . 54(1937). "" "
See also Buchtal, Hugo; Kurz, Otto and Etting-
Hausen, Richard. "Supplementary notes to K. Hol-
ter's checklist...," Ars Islamica , 7/2(1940).
8. Jackson, A. V. Williams and Yohannan, Abra-
ham. A Catalogue of the Collection of Persian MSS ,
including also some Turkish and Arabic, Presented
to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, by
Alexander Smith Cochran . New York: Columbia Uni-
versity, Indo-Iranian Series No. 1, 1914.
9. Martin, F. R. The Nizami MS from the Li-
brary of the Shah of Persia, now in the Metropoli-
tan Museum at New York . Vienna, 1927.
70 New York Public Library
Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations
The Research Libraries
Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street
New York
New York 10018
Contact:
John Mish, Oriental Division
Paul Rugen, Manuscripts & Archives Division
Joseph Rankin, Spencer Collection
Arabic: 248 MSS— 246 in MS Division, 2
in Spencer Collection
Persian: 100 MSS— 19 in MS Division, 81
in Spencer Collection
Turkish: 34 MSS— 8 in MS Division, 26 in
Spencer Collection
:>'::■
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
History: The manuscripts in the Manuscripts and
Archives Division comprise both that division's
and the Oriental Division's holdings. Of the
manuscripts held there, 217 Arabic, 3 Persian
and 4 Turkish have main entry cards in the Ori-
ental Division's catalogue which has been pub-
lished in number one below. The Schiff Fund
has purchased many of the Oriental Division's
MSS, while the holdings of the MS Division
derive mainly from gifts. The MSS of the
Spencer Collection have been acquired since the
bequest of Wm. Augustus Spencer in 1913 of his
collection of fine French bookbindings using
funds of the bequest designated for the purchase
of volumes displaying fine illustration or bind-
ing.
Catalogue: The Oriental Division's holdings are
listed in number one below, and the Spencer
Collection's holdings are in number two. Both
are reproductions of the card catalogues of
each division. The Manuscript and Archives
Division has a typescript listing of its MSS.
Bibliography:
1. Dictionary Catalog of the Oriental Collec -
tion, the New York Public Library Reference De-
partment . Boston: G. K. Hall, 1960.
2. New York Public Library Dictionary Catalog
and Shelf-list of the Spencer Collection of Illus-
trated Books, Manuscripts and Fine Bindings . Bos-
ton: G. K. Hall, 1971. Two volumes; MSS listed
in vol. ii, pp. 901-62.
60
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
71 The Pierpont Morgan Library
29 East Thirty-sixth Street
New York
New York 10016
Contact :
John Plummer, Curator
Mediaeval & Renaissance MSS
Arabic: 4 MSS— 2 Qur'ans, 1 Arabic-Persian
prayer book, 1 Kitab manafi al-
Hayawan by Ibrahim b. Bukhtishu
101 leaves — mostly bound in small
gatherings, 2 leaves supposedly
from K. manafi al-Hayawan , many
leaves from Kufi Qur'ans
Persian: 20 MSS— primarily poetry, many with
miniatures
15 leaves — one collection of 12
leaves of calligraphy, 3 minia-
tures from a Shah-nama
Turkish: 2 MSS— 1 astrology, 1 Mathnawl of
Rumr
History: Not all of the items were collected by
Messrs. Morgan; Sir Cecil Spring-Rice left a
number of Persian MSS in 1925, and Belle da
Costa Greene left most of the Kufi Qur»an
leaves in 1951. Other holdings have been ac-
quired by further gifts and purchases.
Catalogue: The main holdings are listed in the
Library's card catalogue of manuscripts. Many
individual items have accumulated their own
bibliography which is listed in the catalogue.
Bibliography:
1. Grube, Ernst. Muslim Miniature Paintings
from the XIII to the XIX Century in Collection in
the United States . Venice: N. Pozza, 1962.
61
Jorth American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
2. ^Yohannan, Abraham. "A manuscript of
Manafi' al-Haiawan in the library of J P Mor-
gan," JAOS, 36(1917), pp. 381-9.
72 The Library
Union Theological Seminary
3041 Broadway
New York
New York 10027
Contact :
Robert Maloy
Director
73
Arabic:
Persian:
Turkish:
13 MSS— 4 Qur'ans, 6 religious, 3
Christian
None
8 MSS— poetry and religious
History: Dates and sources of acquisition of most
of the Arabic MSS are unknown. The Turkish
items were acquired for UTS by W. W. Rockwell
in Istanbul, 1928.
Catalogue: There is no catalogue of the holdings
but an internal list is being planned.
Bibliography: None
Department of Special Collections
The Library
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie
New York 12601
Contact :
Frances Goudy
Special Collections Librarian
62
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Arabic ;
Persian:
Turkish:
2 MSS— both Qur'ans, one with 6
pages of Persian and Turkish
poetry added at the end
2 leaves— 1 Kufi prayer, purport-
edly in the author's blood; 1
illuminated page of a Qur 'an .
1 MS— illuminated and with minia-
tures
None
History: Dates and sources of acquisitions un-
specified.
Catalogue: Unspecified, probably listed in regis-
try file using information supplied by donors/
sellers .
Bibliography: None
74 Memorial Art Gallery of the
University of Rochester
490 University Avenue
Rochester
New York 14607
Contact:
Renee Seller
Associate Curator
Arabic :
Persian:
Turkish:
None
2 MSS — Khamsa of NizamI, poetry of
Sa'dl
1 leaf— calligraphy
None
History: The MSS are Museum purchases; the leaf
is a gift.
Catalogue: Unspecified, . possibly listed on acqui-
sition cards.
Bibliography: None.
63
Jorth American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
2. ^Yohannan, Abraham. "A manuscript of
Manafi' al-Haiawan in the library of J P Mor-
gan," JAOS, 36(1917), pp. 381-9.
72 The Library
Union Theological Seminary
3041 Broadway
New York
New York 10027
Contact :
Robert Maloy
Director
73
Arabic:
Persian:
Turkish:
13 MSS— 4 Qur'ans, 6 religious, 3
Christian
None
8 MSS— poetry and religious
History: Dates and sources of acquisition of most
of the Arabic MSS are unknown. The Turkish
items were acquired for UTS by W. W. Rockwell
in Istanbul, 1928.
Catalogue: There is no catalogue of the holdings
but an internal list is being planned.
Bibliography: None
Department of Special Collections
The Library
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie
New York 12601
Contact :
Frances Goudy
Special Collections Librarian
62
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Arabic ;
Persian:
Turkish:
2 MSS— both Qur'ans, one with 6
pages of Persian and Turkish
poetry added at the end
2 leaves— 1 Kufi prayer, purport-
edly in the author's blood; 1
illuminated page of a Qur 'an .
1 MS— illuminated and with minia-
tures
None
History: Dates and sources of acquisitions un-
specified.
Catalogue: Unspecified, probably listed in regis-
try file using information supplied by donors/
sellers .
Bibliography: None
74 Memorial Art Gallery of the
University of Rochester
490 University Avenue
Rochester
New York 14607
Contact:
Renee Seller
Associate Curator
Arabic :
Persian:
Turkish:
None
2 MSS — Khamsa of NizamI, poetry of
Sa'dl
1 leaf— calligraphy
None
History: The MSS are Museum purchases; the leaf
is a gift.
Catalogue: Unspecified, . possibly listed on acqui-
sition cards.
Bibliography: None.
63
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
75 Medical Center Library
Duke University
Durham
North Carolina 27706
Contact:
G. S. T. Cavanaugh
Curator
Arabic: 1 MS— Naflz b. ' Iwad al-Kirmani,
Kitab Sharh al-Asbab wa al-
'Alamat II 'Abu Hamid M. b. 'All
al-Samarqandl
Persian: 1 MS— an anatomy by Mansur b. M. b.
Ahmad
Turkish: None
History: Dates and sources of acquisitions un-
specified.
Catalogue: Unspecified, probably listed on regis-
try cards using information provided by donors/
sellers.
Bibliography: None
76 Near Eastern and Far Eastern Art
Cincinnati Art Museum
Cincinnati
Ohio 45202
Contact:
Daniel S. Walker
Associate Curator
Arabic: 2 MSS— 1 Qur'an, 1 prayer book
2 leaves— from Qur'ans
Persian: 3 MSS — Gulls tan of Sa'dl, Sa'd
panj sudmand of Luqman,
Andarz-nama of Kayus b. Iskandar
64
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
b. Kapus b. Vushmiglr (only
1/2 of the MS)
75 leaves — 9 Khamsa of NizamI,
13 Shah-nama , 2 Majmu* al-
Tawarikh of Haflz-I Abru, 10
unidentified, 41 Mughal minia-
tures
Turkish: 5 leaves
History: The collection has grown primarily by
donation since 1914.
Catalogue: On cards in the department.
Bibliography:
1. Frye, Richard N. "The Andarz Nama of Kayus
b. Iskandar b. Kapus b. Vushmgir," Serta Canta-
brigiensis (Wiesbaden), 1954, pp. 7-23.
2. Minovi, M. "Kapus-Nama yi Frye," Yaghma
(Tehran, Bahman) , 1355(1957).
3. Various, in A. U. Pope (ed.), Survey of
Persian Art , vol. XIII, Addendum A, "The Andarz
Nama," London and New York, 1968. (Proceedings of
the IVth International Congress of Iranian Art and
Archaeology, April 24-May 3, 1960.)
77 610 Main Library
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati
Ohio 45221
Contact :
Helen W. Slotkin
Head, Special Collections
Arabic: 3 MSS — all Qur'ans
Persian: 2 MSS — 1 Khusrau wa Shir In , 1 un-
identified poetry
Turkish : None
65
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
History: Dates and sources of acquisition unknown,
Catalogue: Items catalogued on cards in the de-
partment.
Bibliography: None
78
Jessica Gund Memorial Library
Cleveland Institute of Art
11141 East Boulevard
Cleveland
Ohio 44106
Contact:
Karen Tschudy
Librarian
Arabic: 9 leaves
Persian: None
Turkish: None
History: The items form part of a portfolio of
leaves presented by Otto F. Ege, former dean
of the Institute.
Catalogue: Unspecified
Bibliography: None
79 Department of Ancient Art
Cleveland Museum of Art
11150 East Boulevard
Cleveland
Ohio 44106
Contact :
Arielle P. Kozloff
Assistant Curator in Charge
66
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Arabic: 16 leaves — from Qur'ans
Persian: 66 leaves— 38 miniatures, 28 cal-
ligraphy
Turkish: 2 leaves— 1 calligraphy, 1 minia-
ture
History: The collection has grown from donation/
purchase from 1915 to present.
Catalogue: Each item is identified in the Muse-
um's registry.
Bibliography: See the following issues of Cleve-
land Museum of Art Bulletin where five indi-
vidual miniatures are discussed: June, 1945;
April, 1948; December, 1956; November, 1962;'
June, 1963.
80
John G. White Department of Folklore,
Orientalia and Chess
Cleveland Public Library_.
325 Superior Avenue
Cleveland
Ohio 44114
Contact:
Alice N. Loranth
Head
Arabic: 54 MSS— 25 religious, 7 history,
5 folklore, 6 chess, 3 occult,
3 philosophy, 2 grammar, 1 lit-
erature, 1 medicine, 1 geography
38 MS facsimiles—7 chess, 31 his-
tory and literature
Persian: 74 MSS— 27 literature, 21 history,
10 folklore, 5 religious, 3
chess, 3 science, 2 medicine,
1 algebra, 1 grammar, 1 occult
67
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
22 MS facsimiles — 18 literature,
4 chess
Turkish: 27 MSS— 12 religious, 5 literature,
4 chess, 3 history, 3 folklore
10 MS facsimiles — 5 chess, 5 liter-
ature and history
N.B. Facsimiles are described: chess MSS are
mostly photographic reproductions with some
hand copied works; non-chess items are mostly
printed or lithographed manuscript facsimile
editions.
History: The MSS and facsimiles form part of the
John Griswold White collection, bequeathed by
the collector after his death in 1928. This
collection includes the world's most complete
chess library.
Catalogue: All items are fully catalogued in the
department's files under author, title, sub-
ject and series entries. Some of the items
appear in the published catalogues mentioned
below.
Bibliography:
1. Catalog of the Chess Collection (including
checkers) of the Cleveland Public Library:
John G. White Department . Boston: G. K. Hall,
1964. 2 vols.
2. Catalog of Folklore and Folk Songs in the
Cleveland Public Library: John G. White Depart-
ment . Boston: G. K. Hall, 1964. 2 vols.
3. A Collection of Pe rsi an and Arabic Manu-
scripts . Berlin: Paul Gottschalk, 1929. Typed.
4 . Das Schachspiel in der Ara bis chen Litera-
tur von den Anfangen bis zur Z weite n Half te des
16. Jahrhunderts, v on Richard Wieber . Walldorf-
Hessen (Verlag fur Orientkunde Dr. H. Vorndan)
1972.
68
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
81 The Dayton Art Institute
Forest and Riverview Avenues
P. 0. Box 941
Dayton
Ohio 45401
Contact :
Kathy Kelsey Foley
Assistant Curator
Arabic: 1 MS — Qur'an
2 leaves — 1 Qur'an, 1 unidentified
Persian: 15 leaves— 10 miniatures, 5 cal-
ligraphy
Turkish: None
History: The collection has grown mainly from
gifts of J. Elam Artz, Mrs. H. G. Carnell, and
Jefferson Patterson — the former two making
gifts in the early 1930 T s and the latter in
1971. Two miniatures were purchased in 1968
using the Blakeney Fund.
Catalogue: The items are identified on registry
cards from owners' or sellers' descriptions.
A proposed catalogue of all the Institute's
holdings is expected in 1978.
Bibliography:
1. Miller, Tressa R. "Two sixteenth century
Persian miniatures," Bulletin of the Dayton Art
Institute , 27(1968), pp. 11-13.
ft?
:t .1,
Special Collections
Miami University Library
Oxford
Ohio 45056
Contact :
Helen Ball
Curator
69
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Arabic : None
Persian: 1 MS— possibly "The History of
Babar Shah"
Turkish : None
History: Date and source of acquisition unknown,
but the MS was part of first library and must
predate 1841.
Catalogue: Unspecified, but item is probably
noted in a registry file.
Bibliography: None
83 Toledo Museum of Art
Monroe Street at Scottwood Avenue
Box 1013
Toledo
Ohio 43697
Contact:
Pat Whitesides
Registrar
Arabic: 1 MS— Qur 'an
9 leaves
Persian: 1 MS— unidentified
3 leaves
Turkish: None
History: The Qur 'an was a gift of 1923 and the
Persian MS a gift of 1951. The leaves were
purchased at varying times from varying agents
Catalogue: All items are recorded on registry
cards.
Bibliography: None
70
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
84 Special Collections
University of Oregon Library
Eugene
Oregon 97403
Contact:
Martin Schmitt
Special Collections Librarian
Arabic :
Persian:
Turkish:
There are some eight manuscripts
described as Near Eastern and
housed in the Special Collec-
tions library
Unknown, see above
Unknown, see above
History: The manuscripts comprise part of the
Burgess Collection of rare books and manu-
scripts.
Catalogue: Because the Special Collections Li-
brary does not have personnel capable of deal-
ing with Near Eastern languages, the manu-
scripts remain uncatalogued.
Bibliography: None
85 Portland Art Museum
Southwest Park & Madison
Portland
Oregon 97205
Contact:
Mary Ann Mees
Librarian
Arabic:
Persian:
Turkish :
1 MS— Qur'an
3 leaves — from various Qur'ans
1 MS — Jami's Yusuf wa Zulaikha
None
71
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
History: Qur'an acquired 1939, Jam! in 1972 and
leaves in 1970 and 1971.
Catalogue: Items identified on registry cards.
Bibliography: None
86 Middle East Studies Center
Portland State University
P. 0. Box 751
Portland
Oregon 97207
Contact :
Cressy D. Olivier
Assistant to the Director
Arabic: 1 MS— Qur'an with interlinear
Persian translation
Persian: 1 MS — Kulliyat of Sa'di
Turkish : None
History: MSS acquired by the Hon. Henry S. Vil-
lard during the period 1928-1930 in Tehran and
made available to the university in 1964
through the courtesy of the late Myron B. Smith
of the Islamic Archives, Washington.
Catalogue: MSS described on registry cards of the
Center's holdings.
Bibliography: None
72
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
87 Linderman Library
Lehigh University
Bethlehem
Pennsylvania 18015
Contact:
James D. Mack
Director of Libraries
Arabic: 1 MS — Qur'an
Persian: None
Turkish: None
History: Acquired in 1887 from unknown source,
Catalogue: Noted in registry file.
Bibliography: None
88 Skillman Library
Lafayette College
Easton
Pennsylvania 18042
Contact:
Robert G. Gennett
Assistant Librarian
Arabic: None
Persian: 1 MS — Diwan of Jam!
Turkish : None
History: The MS was donated by J. L. Scott in
1877.
Catalogue: MS is identified on Rare Book Room
catalogue card.
Bibliography ;
1. Martinovitch s Nicholas. Ars Islamica , 1
(1934), pp. 128-9.
Description of MS.
73
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
89 Magill Library
Haverford College
Haverford
Pennsylvania 19041
Contact :
Diana Alt en
Manuscripts Librarian
Arabic: 10 MSS— 1 Qur'an, 1 partial Qur'an,
1 Christian, 1 prayer book, 1
Arabic-Syriac lexicon, 1 gram-
mar, 1 kalam , 1 Pentateuch, 1
Syriac-Arabic lexicon, 1 un-
identified
Persian: 3 MSS— 1 poetry, 1 unidentified,
1 translation of Arabic dic-
tionary
Turkish : None
History: The MSS are from the J. Rendel Harris
collection left in 1887.
Catalogue: Items are listed in a bound booklet.
Bibliography: None.
90
The Library
Dropsie University
Broad and York
Streets
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
19132
Contact :
Yehuda Komlosh
Director
Arabic :
71 MSS
Persian:
9 MSS
Turkish:
6 MSS
74
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
History: No history of the collection is avail-
able. All of the MSS at Dropsie are currently
being recatalogued, an operation which makes
revision of the information in Pearson impos-
sible.
Catalogue: Pearson reported an unpublished cata-
logue by J. Reider dated 1933.
Bibliography: None
91 Rare Book Department
The Free Library of Philadelphia
Logan Square
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania 19103
Contact:
Howell J. Heaney
Rare Book Librarian
Arabic: 39 MSS— 35 in the Lewis collection,
4 added (2 Qur'ans, 1 prayer
book, 1 Gospels)
27 leaves — calligraphy, many from
Kufi Qur'ans
Persian: 55 MSS— 52 in the Lewis collection,
3 added (2 poetry, 1 Shah-nama )
1?05 leaves — Lewis collection, 270
Persian, 500 Mughal, 435 Rajput
Turkish: 11 MSS— 10 in Lewis collection, 1
added ( Diwan of BaqI)
9 leaves — miniatures from Lewis
collection
History: The John Frederick Lewis collection was
given to the Free Library in 1933 by his widow
in memory of her husband, who had been for many
years a trustee of the Library. The additional
75
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
MSS have been purchased at various later dates
with trust funds left for the purchase of rare
books.
Catalogue: The Lewis collection was catalogued by
Muhammad A. Simsar in the work listed below.
The separate leaves have been described along
with photographic reproductions by Simsar in an
unpublished catalogue available for use in the
Rare Book Department. Later additions have not
been catalogued.
Bibliography:
1. Simsar, Muhammad A. Oriental Manuscripts
of the John Frederick Lewis Collection in the Free
Library of Philadelphia . Philadelphia, 1937.
92 The Library Company of Philadelphia
1314 Locust Street
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania 19107
Contact:
Edwin Wolf, II
Librarian
Arabic: 1 MS— Unidentif ied
Persian : 1 MS — Unidentified
Turkish: None
History: Source and date of acquisition unknown.
Catalogue: Not specified
Bibliography: None
76
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
93 Special Collections
The Charles Patterson Van Pelt Library
University of Pennsylvania
34th and Walnut Streets
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania 19174
Contact:
Lyman W. Riley
Assistant Director of Libraries
for Special Collections
Arabic: 43 MSS--35 in the Camac collection,
8 in the Block collection
Persian: 1 MS— in the Camac collection
Turkish: None
History: The Camac collection was received in
1902, and the Block in 1968.
Catalogue: The Camac collection has been cata-
logued into a Dewey system card-catalogue of
all of the department's holdings. The Block
collection is provided with a separate list.
Bibliography:
1. Simsar, M. A. "A rare Jami manuscript,"
Universit y of Pennsylvania Library Chronicle, 3
(1935), pp. 21-5. "
2, n . • " A ra re copy of Baydawi's commen-
tary > University of Pennsylvania Libra ry Chroni-
cle, 5(1937), pp. 65-8. ~~^^
94 University of Pennsylvania Museum
33rd and Spruce Streets
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania 19104
Contact:
Renata Holod
Head, Islamic Collection
77
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Arabic: 12 Mss . ;3 Qur>a - ns> x ^^
Qur'an, 1 prayer book, 7
M&ghribian MSS
2 leaves— from the opening of a
Qur'an
Persian: 5 MSS— all poetry
Turkish: None^" 11111 " 11 ^ 1011
History: All items, except one donated Qur'an
aui r red S H J / he Seven M ^ribian MSS were at
quired during a Museum expedition in 1897/98
^remaining items were purchased in the
Catalogue: All items are identified on registry
Nichnl °m in f° rmati °n from notes made by
Nicholas Martinovitch in 1930. The Maghribian
MSS however, are provided only with cfrds
which have been partially completed and which
remain uncorroborated. "»J-<-n
Bibliography:
!• Ettinghausen. Richard "a „,- j , ,
PP. 92™ M. Archaeolo gy 4(1935)"
95 The John Hay Library
Brown University
Providence
Rhode Island 02912
Contact:
David J. Martz, Jr.
Curator of Manuscripts
Arabic: 4 „ ss 3 ^.^ ^^ ^
1 leaf — from a Qur'an
78
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Persian: 1 MS — poetry
4 leaves — 2 possibly from Shah-nama
of FirdausI, 2 possibly from
Bustan of Sa'dl
Turkish: 1 leaf
History: All items from the Harry Lyman Koopman
collection donated by Professor Philip D.
Sherman in 1958.
Catalogue: Listed in Special Collections card
catalogue.
Bibliography: None
96 Museum of Art
Rhode Island School of Design
Providence
Rhode Island 02903
Contact:
Elizabeth T. Casey
Curator of Oriental Collections
Arabic: 1 MS — Qur'an
2 separate leaves — from a Qur'an
Persian: 3 MSS — K hamsa of Nizaml, Shah-nama
and TariML-I Guzidah
32 leaves— 28 miniatures, 4 cal-
ligraphy
Turkish: 2 separate leaves — miniatures
Indo-Persian: 22 leaves — 18 miniatures, 4 cal-
ligraphy
History: The collection was begun in 1914 with a
donation and has grown, mostly before 1920,
through both donation and purchase. The Per-
sian miniatures came in 1944-45.
Catalogue: Items listed in card file.
79
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Bibliography. 8
1. The Turkish miniature "Selim II on a jour-
ney" is described in Bulletin of the Museum of Art ,
Rhode Island School of Design , vol, vii, no. 4.
97 Charleston Library Society
164 King Street
Charleston
South Carolina 29401
Contact:
Virginia Rugheimer
Librarian
Arabic: None
Persian: 1 MS-^-unidentif ied
Turkish: None
History: MS brought from Isfahan by Andre Michaux,
1783; presented to the Society by Michaux in
1803.
Catalogue: MS noted in registry file of the So-
ciety's library.
Bibliography: None
98 Humanities Research Center
University of Texas at Austin
Austin
Texas 78712
Contact:
David Farmer
Assistant Director
Arabic: 10 MSS--3 law, 2 Qur'ahs, 1 prayer
book, 1 poetry, 1 New Testament,
1 grammar, 1 music
2 leaves — from a Qur'an
80
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
Persian :
Turkish:
13 MSS — 5 Omar Khayyam, 2 literary,
1 Hafiz, 1 Nizaml, 1 JamI, 1
history, 1 astronomy, 1 un-
identified
None
History: The manuscripts are from the collection
of the Louisiana bibliophile Edward Alexander
Parsons who sold his library to the University
of Texas at Austin in 1958.
Catalogue: There is an abbreviated handlist of
the MSS, but no catalogue.
Bibliography: None
99 Middle East Library
University Libraries
University of Utah
Salt Lake City
Utah 84112
Contact :
P. Rashid Wu
Librarian
Arabic:
116 MSS— primarily history and
literature
1118 reels of microfilm— 363 reels
(with 363 titles) in the Martin
Levy collection; 323 reels
(with 323 titles) in the Mt .
Sinai collection; 286 reels
(with 286 titles) of the Arab
League collection; 35 reels
(with 35 titles) from the Gar-
rett collection, Princeton; 111
reels (with 1214 titles) in the
Catholic Microfilm collection
81
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
1564 fragments — mounted and par-
tially catalogued; 776 papyrus,
10 parchment, 778 paper
594 gatherings of leaves— contained
in 10 binders holding plastic
protectors with from one leaf to
several sections each; plus 4
boxes of envelopes also contain-
ing several sections each.
Persian: 8 MSS
Turkish: 5 MSS
12 reels of microfilm- — in the Mar-
tin Levy collection
History: The MSS and fragments and leaves were
given by Aziz Atiya in 1975. The Martin Levy
collection of m-f's was acquired in 1972, the
Mt. Sinai m-f's in 1969 and the Catholic m-f's
in 1973. The Arab League m-f's were acquired
in trade for copies of some of Levy's films.
Catalogue: There is a temporary listing of the
MSS and papyri. There is a manuscript list of
titles for 301 of the Levy films and also the
Catholic films. The Princeton MSS are without
a list, but there is a temporary list of titles
for the 286 Arab League titles. The Mt. Sinai
films are catalogued in the book listed below.
Bibliography:
1. Atiya, Aziz Suryal. The Arabic Manuscripts
of Mount Sinai: A Hand-list of Arabic Manuscripts
and Scrolls Microfilmed at the Library of the Mon-
astery of St. Catherine, Mount Sinai . Baltimore:
Johns Hopkins Press, 1955.
82
]
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
100 Roanoke Public Library
706 South Jefferson Street
Roanoke
Virginia 24011
Contact :
Daniel Jones , Head
Technical Services
Arabic: 3 MSS — 2 Qur'ans, 1 commentary on
or copy of Dala'il al-khairat by
al-JuzulT
Persian: 1 MS — literary
Turkish: None
History: Collection given to the library in the
early 1950' s by a local patron and used as ex-
amples of book arts.
Catalogue: The items are not catalogued and are
provided only with bookdealers' descriptions
(but not in all cases).
Bibliography: None
101 Seattle Art Museum
Volunteer Park
Seattle
Washington 98112
Contact :
Ellen F. Clattenburg
Registrar
Arabic: 2 MSS — 1 Qur'an, 1 literary
Persian: 24 leaves — 20 miniatures, 4 cal-
ligraphy
Turkish : None
83
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
History: The Museum was founded in 1933 and the
Islamic collection has grown since then with
regularity, primarily by donation.
Catalogue: The holdings are listed in a card
catalogue.
Bibliography: None
102 University of Washington Libraries
Seattle
Washington 98195
Contact:
Fawzi W.
Khoury
Near East
: Bibliographer
Arabic:
30 MSS
Persian:
None
Turkish:
1 MS
History: No information available on the source
and growth of the collection.
Subjects: Range is from fetwa 's to longer reli-
gious works.
Catalogue: A typed list of titles, authors and
descriptions of the manuscripts has been
prepared.
Bibliography: No published reports
84
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
103 West Asian Department
Royal Ontario Museum
100 Queen's Park
Toronto
Ontario
Canada
Contact:
Lisa Golombeck
Curator
Arabic: 4 MSS — 2 Qur'Sns, 1 prayer book,
1 Companions of the Prophet
4 leaves — calligraphy
Persian: 3 MSS — Shah-nama , Futuh al-
har amain, Khamsa
16 leaves — 14 miniatures, 2 cal-
ligraphy
Turkish: 1 leaf — miniature
History: The collection has grown by gift and
purchase from 1937 to date.
Catalogue: All items are described on registry
cards from seller's/donor's descriptions.
Bibliography: None
104 Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library
University of Toronto
Toronto
Ontario
Canada M5S 1A5
Contact :
Richard Land on
Librarian
Arabic: 1238 MSS — uncatalogued
Persian: 5 MSS— mostly poetry
Turkish: 12 MSS — literature and history
85
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
History: The Arabic MSS have been recently pur-
chased and are as yet without a list. The
remaining MSS are from various sources and
, dates of acquisition.
Catalogue: The Persian and Turkish MSS have been
described on catalogue cards.
Subjects: The Arabic MSS apparently deal mainly
with law, history, some Sufi works and fetwa's .
Bibliography: None
105 Blacker-Wood Library of Zoology and
Ornithology
McGill University
P. 0. Box 6070, Station A
Montreal
Quebec
Canada H3G 3G1
Contact:
Eleanor MacLean
Librarian
Arabic: 74 MSS— 62 in the Dr. Casey A. Wood
collection of 1927; 12 addition-
al MSS gathered later, mainly by
Dr. Wood.
Persian: 198 MSS— 167 in Dr. Wood's 1927
collection; 31 later additions,
mainly by Dr. Wood — plus 6
photostatic copies
Turkish: None
History: Nearly all of the MSS were gathered by
or for Dr. Wood and presented to the library
mostly in 1927,
Catalogue: All the MSS have, been identified by
Vladimir Ivanov, Librarian of the Royal Bengal
Society of Calcutta, who gathered the majority
of the MSS for Dr. Wood, The 1927 donation is
86
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
provided with a typescript checklist available
in the library. The later additions have typed
identifications in envelopes in the back of
each volume.
Bibliography: No published work describes the
collection. However, one Persian MS, Nuzhat
Nama-i-Elai , with two other titles on natural
science, is unique, and there is a typescript
translation of portions of it by Ivanov and
C. N. Sneddon of Oxford University made in
1928.
Subjects: The collection deals with veterinary
medicine with many additional titles on fal-
conry and horses.
106 Islamic Studies Library
McGill University
P. 0. Box 6070, Station A
Montreal
Quebec
Canada H3G 3G1
Contact:
Librarian
Arabic :
Persian:
Turkish:
Microfilm:
107 titles — mainly philosophy
29 titles — mainly philosophy and
Shiite writings
24 titles — mainly history
506 reels — in approximately the
same language distribution as
the MS S above, acquired for use
by students and faculty. In ad-
dition, some 100 Xerox copies of
MSS.
87
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
History: The collection has been built by pur-
chase since the founding of McGill's Institute
for Islamic Studies in 1942. However, there is
no longer an active acquisition policy.
Catalogue: There is a card-file checklist for the
MSS and microfilms available for use in the
library.
Bibliography: None
107 McLennan Library
McGill University
P. 0. Box 6070, Station A
Montreal
Quebec
Canada H3G 3G1
Contact :
Elizabeth Lewis
Rare Books Librarian
Arabic: 45 MSS — mostly Qur'ans and tracts
on Sufism and Shiite sects
28 leaves — 19 framed
Persian: 31 MSS — mainly poetry
73 leaves — 60 framed
Turkish: 5 MSS — mostly history
5 leaves — all framed
History: The collection primarily comes from
Dr. Casey A. Wood by donation and purchase.
Catalogue: There is no catalogue of the collec-
tion, although steps are being taken as time
and funds allow to identify the MSS.
Bibliography: None
88
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
108 Osier Library
McGill University
Mclntyre Medical Sciences Building
3655 Drummond Street
Montreal
Quebec
Canada H3G 1Y6
Contact :
Marilyn Fransiszyn
Manuscript Librarian
Arabic: 76 MSS— 37 in Dr. Casey A. Wood
Ophthalmic Collection, plus one
composite with Turkish; 24 in
Dr. Casey A. Wood 1927 donation,
including 2 composite Arabic and
Persian; 9 in the Osier collec-
tion; 5 in the general collec-
tion.
Persian: 68 MSS--61 in the Dr. Wood 1927 do-
nation, plus 2 composite Arabic
and Persian; 7 in the Dr. Wood
Ophthalmic Collection plus 1
composite Persian and Turkish.
Turkish: 2 MSS— both composite, one with
Arabic, one with Persian — see
above.
History: Dr. Casey A. Wood Ophthalmic Collection
was acquis it ioned by the McGill Medical Library
in 1947; many volumes come from the library of
Max Meyerhof . Dr. Wood presented a number of
MSS in 1927 on general medical topics, probably
at the same time as the collection in the
Blacker-Wood Library was given.
Catalogue: The 1927 Wood collection was provided
with a checklist by Vladimir Ivanov who col-
lected these and others in the Blacker-Wood
Library for Dr. Wood during tne period 1926-27.
A form of this checklist is published ( see
89
North American Collections of Islamic Manuscripts
below) . The Ophthalmic collection was cata-
logued by Miss Stehle, and a typescript of her
cards is available in the Osier Library. The
Osier MSS are catalogued below.
Bibliography:
1. Francis, W. W. et al . . eds. Bibliotheca
Osier iana . Montreal: McGill-Queens University
Press, reprint 1969. Cf. Z/7785, "Persian, Arabic
and Hindustani Medical MSS," for 1927 Wood col-
lection. Osier MSS are described at numbers 449,
450, 462, 463, 464, 465, 478, 7508 and 7571.
109 Islamic Art Department
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
3400 avenue du Muse*e
Montreal
Quebec
Canada H3G 1K3
Contact:
Curator of the Department
Accurate figures for the Museum are currently un-
available. The catalogue, presently arranged
chronologically for all acquisitions, is the
intended object of a project of revision and
completion to be begun when funds and time
allow.
90
Index
ARABIC
'Abu Shadi, Ahmad Zaki, personal
papers of , 48
Alchemy, 5, 67
Almanac, 57
Astrology, 67
Astronomy, 48, 67
Biography, 20
Calendar, 20
Calligraphy, 20, 29, 41, 66, 70,
72, 92, 104
Chess, 81
Companions at the Battle of Badr,
50
Companions of the Prophet , 102
Dala'il al-khairat of Juzuli,
46, 100
Dalll al-sar'wa al-naql wa al-
'aql , 65
91
Index
Epistle, 19
Al-Farid, Diwan . 69
Folklore, 80
Geography, 80
Grammar, 5, 36, 67, 80, 89, 98
fr^th . 19, 24, 67
History, 5, 59, 67, 80
Ibn Bukhtishu, Ibrahim, Kitab
manafl al-Havamn , 71
Ibn Sina, Qanun, 24
Joshua, 6
Kalam, 67, 89
Al-Kirmani, Nafiz b. 'Iwad, Kitab
Sharh al-Asbah w a al- f Alamaf"
li 'Abu Hamid Muh. b. ( AlT Tl-
Samarqandl , 75 *~" ~
Law, 5, 19, 67, 98
Literature, 5, 37, 50, 67, 80, 101
Logic, 67
Magic, 67
Materia Medica T 49
Mathematics, 38, 48, 67
Medicine, 5, 12, 20, 33, 34, 67, 108
Miniatures, 40, 69, 71
Music, 98
New Testament, 98
Occult ,80
Pentateuch, 6, 89
Pharmacy, 5
Philosophy, 67, 80, 106
Poetry, 37, 67, 98
Prayer book, 5, 14, 19, 22, 23, 50
98,' 103 71> ?6 ' 89 ' 91 ' 9A ' 95
Qazwlnr, 38
Qur ;? n > 2- 3 > 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14,
17, 19, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29
32, 33, 36, 40, 46, 49, 50, 52,'
??' ", 56, 57, 59, 65, 67, 69
71 > 72, 73, 76, 77, 79, 81 83
92
Index
85, 86, 87, 89, 91, 94, 95, 96,
98, 100, 101, 103, 107
Religious, 5, 23, 24, 29, 31, 65,
67, 72, 80
Rhetoric, 67
Tafsir , 27, 67
Travel book, 14
Treaty, 38
'Udda al-hisn al-hasin, 46
PERSIAN
Anwarl, Diwan , 46
Archery, 29
Astrology, 12
Astronomy, 36, 48, 67, 98
'Attar, Ilahl-nama , 46
Calligraphy, 10, 20, 23, 36, 40,
49, 54, 57, 66, 69, 71, 74,
79, 81, 96, 101, 103
Chess, 80
Ethics, 67
Firdausi, Shah-nama , 23, 27, 46,
49, 57, 91, 95, 96, 103
Folklore, 80
Futuh al-haramain, 103
Geography, 5
Grammar, 67, 80
Hadlth, 36, 67
Haflz, Diwan , 24, 98
History, 67, 80, 98
Ibn Ahmad, Mansur b. Muh. , Anatomy,
75
Ibn Vushmigir, Kayus b. Iskandar b.
Kapus, Andarz-nama , 76
Il-emrulnasrah(?) , 67
Jami
Diwan , 88
Haft Aurang , 24
93
Index
Laila wa Majnun , 27
Lawa'ih , 38
Yusuf wa Zulaikha . 24, 47, 85
Unknown works, 98
Literature, 6, 29, 67, 80, 98, 100
"Lives of the Muslim Saints," 3
Luqman, Sa'd panj sudmand , 76
Magic, _67
Mahbharata , 22
Maktabl (Jaml?), Laila wa Majnun , 47
Mathematics, 48, 67, 80
Medicine, 5, 12, 28, 34, 67, 80, 108
Miniatures, 3, 10, 16, 19, 20, 28,
35, 40, 41, 44, 47, 49, 54, 66,
69, 71, 77, 79, 81, 91, 96,
101, 103
Mir Husain al-Husainl, Baharistan ,
52 '
Mir Khwand, Raudat al-Saf a' , 22
Natural history, 5
NizamI
Haft paikar , 46
Khamsa, 3, 38, 66, 74, 96, 103
Khusrau wa Shir In , 46, 77
Laila wa Majnun , 46, 50
Makhzan al-asrar . 46
Unknown works, 98
occult, 80
Omar Khayyam, 98
Pand 'Attar, 32
Philosophy, 67
Poetry, 3, 19, 29, 40, 67, 69, 71,
77, 89, 91, 94, 95, 107
Prayer books, 67
Religious, 14, 29, 67, 80
Rhetoric, 66
Sa'dl
Bus tan , 95
Gulistan, 76
94
Index
Ku lily at . 64, 86
Unknown, 74
Science, 80
Tafslr, 67
Tarikh-I Guzidah . 96
Tasrih-i Mansur . 28
Veterinary medicine, 6
Wahshi, Shlrln wa Farhad . 50
Zafar-nama . 29, 30, 32
TURKISH
Astrology, 71
Astronomy, 48, 67
Baqi, DTwan, 91
Biography, 5
Calligraphy, 5, 40, 57, 66, 67, 69,
79
Chess, 80
Dala'il al-khairat . 66
Folklore, 80
Government, 67
Grammar, 67
Hadiqat al-sa'ada . 66
History, 29, 80, 106, 107
Kalam, 67
Law, 24, 49
Literature, 19, 24, 67, 80
Magic, 67
Mathematics, 48, 67
Medicine, 5, 34, 108
Miniatures, 3, 40, 69, 79, 96,
103
Ottoman sailing permit, 57
Poetry, 5 5 67, 71
Prayer book, 3, 67, 69
Religious, 24, 67, 72, 80
Rumi, Mathnawf . 71
95
Index
Sa'dl, Bus tan , 69
Visa, 26
COLLECTIONS
American Oriental Society, 11
Cushing, Harvey, 12
Demotte, Georges J. , 47
Garrett, Robert, 61
Goloubew, 40
Hodgson, William Brown, 11
Hyvernat, Henry, 13
Jeffery, Arthur, 67
Landberg, Carlo, 11
Levy, Martin, 99
Lewis, John Frederick, 91
Mansuri, 15
Monastery of St. Catherine, 99
Parsons, Edward Alexander, 98
Plimpton, George Arthur, 67
Rescher, Oskar, 11
Salisbury, Edward Elbridge, 11
Smith, David Eugene, 67
Spencer, William Augustus, 70
Vatican, Islamic-Arabic manu-
scripts, 62
Walters, Henry, 35
White, John Griswold, 80
Wood, Casey A., 105, 107, 108
Yahuda, A. S. , 61
96
(AV/Y1)
SjM S^U.1 oLsftl ^» aU-
lTLe-1 Jl^ j V%Vlj i; jJI oU-jl^l
* ivy J jjd^j
North American Collections
of Islamic Manuscripts
compiled by
Thomas J. Martin
G. K. Hall & Co., 70 Lincoln Street, Boston, Mass.
American Council of Learned Societies, New York, N.Y.
Copyright © 1977 by Thomas J. Martin
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Martin, Thomas Josiah, 1945-
North American collections of Islamic manuscripts.
"Sponsored by the American Council of Learned
Societies."
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. Manuscripts, Arabic — North America. 2. Manu-
scripts, Persian — North America. 3. Manuscripts,
Turkish — North America. 4. Near East — Library resources
— North America. I. American Council of Learned
Societies Devoted to Humanistic Studies. II. Title.
Z6605.A6M37 091 77-11029
ISBN 0-8161-8080-6
This publication is printed on permanent/ durable acid-free paper
MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
This survey and the publication of this book
have been funded by a grant from the
Council on Library Resources,
and sponsored by the
American Council of Learned Societies.
Contents
INTRODUCTION . .
Journal Abbreviations
CALIFORNIA
Berkeley
Graduate Theological Union Seminary .
University of California at Berkeley.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles County Museum of Art. . .
University of California at Los
Angeles .
Palo Alto
Stanford University Medical Center. .
San Marino
Henry E. Huntington Library and Art.
Gallery
CONNECTICUT
Hartford
Hartford Seminary Foundation
v
Entry Page
Number Number
xni
xvii
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
2
3
5
Contents
Entry Page
Number Number
Trinity College 8 8
Wadsworth Atheneum 9 g
New Haven
Yale University Art Gallery 10 9
Yale University/Beinecke Rare Book
and Manuscript Library. 11 9
Yale University/Yale Medical
Library ^2 12
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Catholic University 13 12
Georgetown University 14 13
Library of Congress 15 14
Smithsonian Institution/Freer Gallery
of Art 16 15
GEORGIA
Atlanta
Emory University 17 15
Georgia State Library 18 16
ILLINOIS
Chicago
Newberry Library 19 17
Northwestern University/Archibald
Church Medical Library 20 18
University of Chicago/Oriental
Institute Museum. . . . . ... . . . 21 19
University of Chicago/Joseph
Regenstein Library 22 20
Evans ton
Northwestern University Library .... 23 20
INDIANA
Bloomington
Indiana University 24 21
Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame 25 22
vi
Contents
Entry Page
Number Number
St. Meinrad
St. Meinrad 's College 26 23
IOWA
Iowa City
University of Iowa 27 24
KANSAS
Kansas City
University of Kansas Medical Center . . 28 24
Lawrence
University of Kansas 29 25
KENTUCKY
Lexington
Transylvania College 30 26
LOUISIANA
New Orleans
Tulane University 31 26
MARYLAND
Baltimore
Johns Hopkins University/Milton S.
Eisenhower Library. . . . ... . . .32 27
Johns Hopkins University/Institute
of the History of Medicine 33 28
National Library of Medicine. ..... 34 29
Walters Art Gallery 35 29
MASSACHUSETTS
Amherst
Amherst College 36 30
Boston
Boston Athenaeum 37 31
Boston Public Library ......... 38 31
Harvard University Medical Center ... 39 32
Museum of Fine Arts 40 33
vii
Contents
Cambridge
Harvard University/Fogg Art Museum. .
Harvard University/Houghton Library .
Harvard University/Widener Memorial
Library
Fitchburg
Fitchburg Art Museum
Salem
Peabody Museum
Waltham
Brandeis University
Worcester
Worcester Art Museum
Entry
Number
Page
Number
41
42
34
34
43
36
44
37
45
37
46
38
47
39
MICHIGAN
Ann Arbor
University of Michigan /Hatcher Graduate
Library 48 40
University of Michigan Museum of Art. . 49 41
Detroit
Detroit Institute of Art 50 42
MINNESOTA
Collegeville
St. John's University/Hill Monastic
Manuscript Library. . .
Minneapolis
Minneapolis Institute of Art. . . .
University of Minnesota
51
52
53
43
44
45
MISSOURI
Kansas City
William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of
Art
St. Louis
St. Louis Museum of Art
54
55
45
46
viii
Contents
Entry Page
Number Number
NEBRASKA
Lincoln
University of Nebraska at Lincoln ... 56 46
Omaha
Joslyn Art Museum 57 47
University of Nebraska at Omaha .... 58 48
NEW JERSEY
New Brunswick
New Brunswick Theological Seminary. . . 59 48
Newark
Newark Museum 60 49
Princeton
Princeton University 61 50
NEW YORK
Bingham ton
S.U.N.Y. at Binghamton 62 51
Buffalo
Buffalo and Erie County Historical
Society ..... 63 52
Buffalo and Erie County Public
Library 64 52
Ithaca
Cornell University 65 53
New York
Brooklyn Museum 66 54
Columbia University Library 67 54
Jewish Theological Seminary ...... 68 57
Metropolitan Museum of Art 69 57
New York Public Library 70 59
Pierpont Morgan Library ... 71 61
Union Theological Seminary 72 62
Poughkeepsie
Vassar College Library. . . 73 62
Rochester
University of Rochester 74 63
IX
Contents
Entry Page
Number Numbe
NORTH CAROLINA
Durham
Duke University 75 64
OHIO
Cincinnati
Cincinnati Art Museum 76 64
University of Cincinnati 77 65
Cleveland
Cleveland Institute of Art 78 >6
Cleveland Museum of Art 79 66
Cleveland Public Library 80 67
Dayton
Dayton Art Institute 81 69
Oxford
Miami University Library 82 69
Toledo
Toledo Museum of Art 83 70
OREGON
Eugene
University of Oregon Library 84 71
Portland
Portland Art Museum 85 71
Portland State University 86 72
PENNSYLVANIA
Bethlehem
Lehigh University 87 73
Easton
Lafayette College 88 73
Haverford
Haverford College 89 74
Philadelphia
Dropsie University 90 74
Free Library of Philadelphia 91 75
Library Company of Philadelphia .... 92 76
University of Pennsylvania 93 . 77
University of Pennsylvania Museum ... 94 77
x
Contents
Entry Page
Number Number
RHODE ISLAND
Providence
Brown University. . . 95 78
Rhode Island School of Design 96 79
SOUTH CAROLINA
Charleston
Charleston Library Society 97 80
TEXAS
Austin
University of Texas at Austin 98 80
UTAH
Salt Lake City
University of Utah 99 81
VIRGINIA
Roanoke
Roanoke Public Library 100 83
WASHINGTON
Seattle
Seattle Art Museum 101 83
University of Washington Libraries. . . 102 84
CANADA
ONTARIO
Toronto
Royal Ontario Museum 103 85
University of Toronto 104 85
QUEBEC
Montreal
McGill University/Blacker-Wood Library
of Zoology and Ornithology 105 86
McGill University/Islamic Studies
Library 106 87
xi
Contents
Entry Page
Number Number
M°r^ " n 4 lverslt y/McLennan Library. . . 107 88
McGlll University/Osier Library .... 108 89
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts 109 90
INDEX
91
xii
Introduction
This survey was sponsored by the American Council of
Learned Societies and funded by the Council on Library
Resources. It presents an account of the location and
general contents of selected collections of Arabic, Per-
sian, and Turkish manuscripts in North America.
Four earlier surveys have been made. The collec-
tions selected for inclusion are basically those listed
in the most recent survey, augmented by those developed
since its completion. For the earliest survey, the Li-
brary of Congress asked a large number of American li-
braries, to report: their holdings in 1942. The resulting
information was deposited with the Orientalia Division of
the Research Department of the Library of Congress,
In 1950 Mortimer Graves undertook for the America) :■
Council of Learned Societies a second survey. This ef-
fort produced a typed report (dated 15 August 1950) or,
titled, "Collections of Arabic manuscripts in the UnUocI
States and Canada: a first report of a rough survey mads-:
in July 1950. n
xm
Introduction
A third survey was carried out by Gurgis Awad, Direc-
tor of the National Library of Iraq; the results were
published in volume 7 (1951) of the journal Sumer. Awad
based his findings on visits to several collections in
the United States; occasional reference is made to the
earlier report by Mortimer Graves. Published listings
and catalogues are cited, along with the titles and au-
thors of manuscripts of particular interest to Awad.
The fourth survey formed part of a broader approach
taken by Professor James Douglas Pearson of the London
University School of Oriental and African Studies.
Oriental Manuscripts in Europe and North America (Zug,
Switzerland: Inter-Documentation, 1971) treats manu-
script collections in all oriental languages on both
continents. This work is primarily a listing of publi-
cations which cite or itemize collections. For Arabic,
Persian, and Turkish manuscripts in North America, Pear-
son relied on the three previous surveys; he also added
observations made during his visits to the United States
and information acquired through correspondence.
Although the most recent, and the most complete of
the four earlier surveys was published in 1971, much of
the information Professor Pearson presented was gathered
more than thirty years ago. Collections have changed
hands, grown, diminished and even disappeared. The Uni-
versity of California, Los Angeles, for example, pur-
chased in excess of seven thousand manuscripts during the
1960' s. The University of Toronto, within the last five
years, has acquired some twelve hundred. The Hodgson
collection, formerly owned by a small private academy in
Georgia, was given in 1965 to the American Oriental So-
ciety and is housed in Yale s Sterling Memorial Library;
listed some years ago as containing one hundred thirty
manuscripts, the collection now numbers twenty-five.
Thus there can be no doubt about the present need for an
up-to-date survey.
Of particular interest to Islamic scholars and pa-
laeographers are the large-scale microfilming projects of
xiv
Introduction
foreign holdings which have been undertaken by American
institutions. Notre Dame University has completed the
microfilming of the manuscript holdings of the Ambrosian
Library in Milan. Microfilms of all the Islamic-Arabic
manuscripts in the Vatican Library are housed at the
State University of New York, Binghamton. St. John's
University in Collegeville, Minnesota, has begun micro-
filming manuscripts in European libraries, especially
monastic collections; work in Austria has been completed,
and work is now in progress in Malta and Spain. Another
project, microfilming the holdings of monastic libraries
in Lebanon, has met with financial difficulty; but copies
of the results are in the Library of the University of
Utah.
For the present survey, letters were mailed to the
one hundred fifteen libraries listed by Pearson as hold-
ing Arabic, Persian, and Turkish manuscripts. Librarians
and curators were asked to verify and bring up to date
the information which Pearson set forth. Institutions
with relatively large collections, and those whose hold-
ings have increased significantly in recent years, were
then visited. Useful information was frequently acquired
as a result of discussions with personnel closely identi-
fied with the various collections. Visits were made to
Yale, Hartford Theological Seminary, Harvard, Boston Mu-
seum of Fine Arts, McGill, University of Toronto, Univer-
sity of Michigan, University of Chicago, University of
Utah, UCLA, and to twelve libraries in the New York,
Washington, and Philadelphia areas.
In the letters, respondents were invited to offer
brief comments about the history of their collections,
and those who replied did so. The larger collections of
several universities and public libraries contain a pre-
ponderance of manuscripts of interest for their textual
content or their palaeographic importance. On the other
hand, art museums have collected miniatures, illumina-
tions, or illustrative calligraphy, usually in separate
leaves. Large-scale collecting now seems to have ceased
in North America, if not throughout the world, because of
xv
Introduction
spiraling prices and diminishing supply. While some con-
tinued growth is likely in museum collections, manu-
scripts containing rare or significant literary texts are
not likely to be offered for sale often.
Separate listings for each of the one hundred seven
institutions included are arranged alphabetically, by
state, in the pages which follow, with Canada entered
last. A typical entry is provided with a distinctive
number and offers, after the name and address of the in-
stitution, a count and a brief description of Arabic,
Persian, and Turkish manuscript holdings, in that order.
Brief comments on the history of the collection are in-
cluded, if the curator provided them. Next comes an
identification and a short description of the catalogue,
if one exists. There follows, under "bibliography", a
list of the publications which describe the contents of
part or all of the collection. Some of these, it should
be noted, are dealer or donor descriptions. Scholars
should find particularly useful the identification of the
contact for each institution from whom scholars can seek
additional information concerning the institution's col-
lection. Even though librarians and curators seem almost
as mobile as academics generally, this information
should be of assistance during the next few years. An
index of titles, subjects and collections associated with
an individual is appended.
The reported statistics and the information concern-
lag subject matter, as well as some so-called catalogues,
are. not in all instances completely reliable. As noted
Rbove, Identifications and attributions have been taken
from the unverified notes of sellers and donors. Even
within listings compiled by professionals at various in-
*tions r a varying degree of accuracy is achieved.
'J;
A.V'fi
Mot included in this survey are the sometimes exten-
MbliGgr&pfaie records maintained by many museums to
indicate use of or citation of their manuscripts in pub-
lished scholarship,.
xvi
Introduction
I would like to thank the Council on Library Re-
sources and the American Council of Learned Societies
for funding and for other assistance. I am also grate-
ful to the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Lit-
eratures of New York University, which afforded me fa-
cilities as well as an appointment as Research Associate
for the period of the project. Without the aid of these
organizations this survey would not have been possible.
Journal Abbreviations
AJSL American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures
JAOS Journal of the American Oriental Society
JNES Journal of Near East Studies
ZDMG Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenlandischen Gesellschaft
xvii
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