[al-Abjad]
Contributors: Plimpton, George A. (George Arthur), 1855-1936, former owner; Muslim World Manuscripts (Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library)
Published: 1845
Place of publication: [Turkey?]
Language: ara
Number of pages: 18
Subjects: Arabic alphabet; Writing; Alphabet books; Arabic Penmanship; Arabic Manuscripts
Description: Book illustrating how to write the Arabic alphabet. The majority of the leaves contain grids showing letters in their isolated and connected forms (f. 1v-16r). The final leaves contain short, model sentences (f. 16v-18r).
Notes: Manuscript codex.

Title supplied by cataloger.

Layout: Chiefly grids of 5x6 with one or two letters in each box, border ruled, otherwise 7 long lines, border ruled.

Script: Written in naskh in black ink; pointed, vocalized.

Decoration: Illuminated headpieces on the first page opening, along with a floriate frame in gold, red, green, blue (f. 1v-2r). Tables of letter examples, 5 x 6 with all borders ruled in gold (f. 1v-16r). Writing sample pages border ruled in wide gold, titles surrounded by gold, red, green foliate fill. Margins of page-opening have foliate fill in gold and blue with a narrow gold frame rule (f. 16v-18r).

Binding: Reddish leather over pasteboard with flap. Covers have large, light green central rectangle with designs in white paint visible in it framed by bands of blue and gold which have been painted over repeating geometric patterns. Pastedowns of paper with depictions of large gold birds and fruit. Flyleaves of light purple paper with gold horizontal lines and small, repeated depictions of fruit.

Origin: Item is dated 1261 AH and was copied by ʻAlī al-ʻAlawī, a student of al-Ḥājj Muṣṭafá, Khawājah-yi Mashq-i Sarāy-i Humāyūn (f. 18r).

Shelfmark: MS Or 278.

Three loose leaves formerly inserted in this manuscript have been identified with MS Or 285, and have been returned to that volume.

Digital version available with no restrictions Unrestricted online access.

Electronic reproduction. New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Libraries, 2020. Digitized as part of the Muslim World Manuscripts Project, 2018-2021, funded by CLIR.

Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials. Version 1. December 2002. Digital version conforms to: http://purl.oclc.org/DLF/benchrepro0212

Arabic with one line in Ottoman Turkish.

Formerly owned by George A. Plimpton (bookplate front flyleaf verso).

Digitized. 2020 Columbia University Libraries committed to preserve