Lot 20
A COMPILATION OF ADVICE (PAND)
SAFAVID PERSIA, SIGNED SHADI SHAH, DATED AH 950/1543-44
Auction: 09 December 2026 from 14:00 GMT
Description
manuscript on paper, ten folios with seven lines to the page written in black ink in nasta'liq script, each painted with a small bird within the panel and mounted on to a gold-decorated album page, four fly-leaves, leather-bound with gilt decoration
Dimensions
23.6cm x 14.7cm
Footnote
The opening page of this manuscript, which is separate from the text which follows, contains the beginning of an Arabic qasida by Imam ‘Ali with a Persian and a Chagatai translation. Thereafter the manuscript is a collection of advice (pand) in Persian. Some of these are found in the Mava‘iz (Sermons) of ‘Abdullah Ansari, but that may be because they come from a common source. At the end it is signed “Shadi Shah” with a date, possibly added, of 950 (1543/4). The birds may have been added at a later point, since they appear on the opening as well as on the following pages which appear to be from separate manuscripts, and this may have been carried out in imitation of Mughal manuscripts.
The calligrapher is probably Muhammad Qasim Shadi Shah, who lived in Herat in the first half of the 16th century and according to various sources was either the pupil of Sultan Muhammad Nur or Sultan Muhammad Khandan. Some later sources say that he was a contemporary and rival of Mir ‘Ali with whom there was an exchange of combative verses on the subject of each other’s talents, though doubt has been cast on this alleged rivalry. The calligraphers ‘Ayshi, Muhyi and Sultan Muhammad Turbati are said to have been among his pupils. One biographical source says that he was still active in AH 950 (1543/4) and another in 960 (1552/3). His recorded work is dated between AH 932 (1525/26) and 955(1548/49). For his life and oeuvre see Mehdi Bayani, Ahval va athar-e khushnavisan, vol. 3, Tehran, 1348 sh, pp. 807-809. A note on f. 1a records the birth of a Muhamamd Amin on 1 Muharram 1120 (23 March 1708). The seal impression of Muhammad Amin is next to it.