English: A COMMENTARY OF A TREATISE ON ASTRONOMY: TAWDIH AL-TADHKIRA

SAFAVID IRAN, 16TH/17TH CENTURY

Very probably a commentary on Nasir al-Din Tusi's al-Tadhkira fi 'ilm al-hay'a, possibly by Nizam al-Din al-Nisapuri, Arabic manuscript, 138ff. plus two modern fly-leaves, each folio with 22ll. of black naskh script, some words picked out in red, with numerous astronomical and geometric diagrams, opening folio with title in kufic script within a cartouche, numerous impressions of a rounded seal, probably Safavid, in Safavid brown stamped morocco binding with earlier possibly Timurid découpé leather doublures, some repairs, otherwise in fair condition overall Folio 9 5/8 x 6 7/8in. (24.4 x 17.3cm.)

In his preface, the author of this commentary indicates that the diagrams present in the original work are drawn in red, whilst the author's own diagrams are drawn in black. The original work, probably by Tusi, al-Tadhkira fi 'ilm al-Hay'a is an attempt by the celebrated polymath to give a coherent and unified account of astronomy that would be useful for students of the subjects as well as non-specialists.