Jamshid u Khurshid by Salman Savaji (d.1357)

Object Details

• Description

  Manuscript; Jamshid u Khursid by Salman Savaji; Persian in black nasta'liq script with illuminated headings in white; 115 folios with 1 illuminated medallion (folio1 recto), 1 unwan (folio 1 verso), 5 paintings (6verso, 33recto, 60verso, 83recto and 107verso), and 1 dated colophon (folio 115recto); standard page: 2 columns, 14 lines of text.

  Binding: The manuscript is bound in contemporary leather over paper pasteboards with gilt block-stamped designs on exterior covers, and doublures of block-stamped and leather filigree over a green and brown colored paper ground.

• Inscriptions

  First Flyleaf, recto, top right, "no. 135 Tabbagh" written in pencil

  First Flyleaf, recto, affixed to page, round white sticker "166" written in blue ink

  First Flyleaf, recto, bottom of page "no. 54" written in pencil

  Last page, top of page near spine, rectangular paper glued to page "89" stenciled in black ink

  Last flyleaf, verso, top of page near spine, rectangular paper glued to page "Homberg 1931" written in pencil

  Last flyleaf, verso, top of page near spine, rectangular paper glued to page "O1HH" written in pencil

  Last flyleaf, verso, top of page near spine, rectangular paper glued to page "no. 135= sbxxx %"

  Last flyleaf, verso, top of page near spine, rectangular paper glued to page "48 rfm xx" written in pencil

  Last flyleaf, verso, top of page near spine, rectangular paper glued to page, round sticker affixed to rectangular paper "no. 2285" written in black ink

• Provenance

  Possibly to 1907

  Possibly Octave Marie Joseph Kérim Homberg Sr. (1844-1907), method of acquisition unknown [1]

  Likely 1907-1931

  Octave Marie Joseph Kérim Homberg Jr. (1876-1941), possibly by inheritance from his father, Octave Marie Joseph Kérim Homberg Sr. [2]

  1931

  Sale, Paris, Galerie Georges Petit, "Catalogue des tableaux anciens : objets d'art et de haute curiosité européens et orientaux ... la collection de Octave Homberg," Juin 3, 2, & 5, 1931, lot 89 [3]

  Possibly 1931-1935

  Emile Tabbagh (ca.1880-1933), likely purchased at the Galerie Georges Petit auction [4]

  1935

  Sale, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, Collection de Monsieur Emile Tabbagh, May 20-21, 1935, no. 135. [5]

  Possibly 1935-1942

  Henri Vever (1854-1942), likely purchased at the Hôtel Drouot sale [6]

  1942-1947

  Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947), bequest of Henri Vever [7]

  1947-1986

  Francois Mautin (1907-2003), bequest of Jeanne Louise Monthiers and Henri Vever [8]

  From 1986

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery purchased from Francois Mautin [9]

  Notes:

  [1]Octave Homberg Senior was a Censor of the Bank of France before becoming the Director of the Société Générale, one of the oldest banks in France. He amassed a diverse collection of fine arts, which included medieval European sculpture and Islamic manuscripts and

  objects. Upon his death, he bequeathed most of his collection to his son, Octave Homberg Jr. The works that were not passed on to Homberg Jr. were sold via auction at Galerie Georges Petit on May 11-16, 1908, in Paris, France.

  [2] See note 3. Octave Homberg Jr. was a French diplomat, banker, writer, and collector. As one of France's foremost financiers, he served as the French financial agent in the United States and part of the Anglo-French Commission. In the early 1930s, Homberg fell into financial trouble and in 1931 sold the majority of his art collection,

  most of which he had inherited from his father. It iss possible that Homberg Senior bequeathed this manuscript to his son, Homberg Jr., see note 1.

  [3] Galerie Georges Petit, "Catalogue des tableaux anciens : objets d'art et de haute curiosité européens et orientaux ... la collection de Octave Homberg" [auction catalogue] (Paris, June 3-5, 1931), lot 89. See also of annotations on version of last folio of manuscript.

  [4] Emile Tabbagh, with his brother George Tabbagh, operated the art dealership Tabbagh Freres at 8 Rue Rossini and then at 39 rue Lafayette in Paris. The brothers opened a second branch of their successful gallery in New York at 396 5th Avenue. They specialized in the sale of Raqqa ware and

  Persian objects and manuscripts. Following Emile's death on December 31, 1933, his family sold his personal collection in two separate auctions. The first was held March 20-21, 1935, in Paris and the second auction occurred January 3-4, 1936 in New York. This work was sold during the first auction, see note 5.

  [5] Hôtel Drouot, "Collection de Monsieur Emile Tabbagh" [auction catalogue](Paris, May 20-21, 1935), lot 135. See also annotations on verso of last folio in manuscript.

  [6] An accomplished French jeweler and collector, Henri Vever amassed a large collection of fine art. His collections of Japanese prints and Islamic manuscripts were widely respected, as Vever acquired pieces of exceptional quality and rarity. Intensely studying the visual aspects of Islamic art, loaning to exhibitions, and publishing on Islamic art, Vever quickly became one of the leading experts on Islamic painting and manuscripts. This work was in Vever's collection at the time of his death in 1942.

  [7] Upon Henri Vever's death on September 25, 1942, his wife, Jeanne Louise Monthiers inherited the work. See exhibits F and G of Agreement of Purchase and Sale of the Henri Vever Collection, January 9, 1986, copy in object file.

  [8] Upon the death of Jeanne Louise Monthiers, as stipulated in the will of Henri Vever, the family's assets were divided evenly between his two grandchildren. His only grandson, Francois Mautin inherited the collection known as "The Henri Vever Collection of Oriental Art and Manuscripts Including Persian and Indian Art and Manuscripts." This object is part of that collection. See exhibits F and G as cited in note 7.

  [9] The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery purchased the entirety of the collection from Francois Mautin on January 9, 1986. See purchase agreement, copy in object file.

  Research complete July 11, 2022.

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  Variations on a Script: Islamic Calligraphy from the Vever Collection (February 18 to September 16, 1990)

  A Jeweler's Eye: Islamic Arts of the Book from the Vever Collection (November 20, 1988 to April 30, 1989)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Francois Mautin (1907-2003)

  Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947)

  Henri Vever (1854-1942)

  Emile Tabbagh (1879-80-1933)

  Octave Homberg

  Octave Marie Joseph Kérim Homberg Sr. (1844-1907)

• Origin

  Iran

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds, Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program, and Dr. Arthur M. Sackler

• Type

  Manuscript

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

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• Date

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• Name

  Mautin, Francois Albert, Homberg, Octave, Homberg, Octave Marie Joseph Kérim, Monthiers, Jeanne Louise, Vever, Henri, Tabbagh, Emile

• Topic

  S?afavid dynasty, 1501-1736, Art, Henri Vever collection, Arts of the Islamic World, Khurshid, Jamshid

• Culture

  Muslims, Iranians

• Object Type

  Manuscripts