The binding was missing, and the sewing had broken in places causing the gatherings and leaves to detach. Consequently the leaves became completely disordered. [1]
The manuscript has richly illuminated pages with golden frames. [2a and
2b]
The leaves were severely damaged and soiled, with parts missing. In several
places, the writing was smeared. [3a and 3b]
The illustrations had been repaired in many different spots, where the fills were adhered onto the original and painted. The manuscript had been repaired at least three different times with papers of various colour and quality, for the most part quite crudely. On some leaves, repairs with writing on them had been adhered over the original writing and these too were done in an un-aesthetic and crude way. The leaves were attached to the spine with careless application of glue. [4]
Conservation treatment
During the course of the treatment, the gatherings were taken apart and the leaves were separated in order to clean them individually with a soft cloth. [5]
Many previous repairs were poorly adhered so it was quite easy to detach them from the pages. In cases where they did not come off easily, they were mostly removed dry or sometimes after an application of methylcellulose. The glue was scraped off the spine with a scalpel. Tears were repaired and missing parts filled with different types of Japanese paper, previously dyed with tea. [6a
and 6b]
Then gatherings were reassembled from the repaired leaves. New endpapers were made out of Japanese paper and the gatherings were sewed together with the traditional Islamic link-stitch. The spine lining and its flanges on both sides were made from a linen cloth. Endbands were sewn in the traditional Islamic style with cotton embroidery thread. New boards were cut and lined with acid-free paper. A new full-leather binding was made. The vegetable-tanned sheepskin was dyed with aniline dye. [7a and
7b]
Remnants of the original front endpaper were re-attached and a case for the treated manuscript was made out of acid-free cardboard. [8a and
8b]
Adhesives used in the treatment were methylcellulose and wheat starch paste preserved with methylparaben.
Condition before treatment
The gilded full leather binding was worn and damaged. The textblock had been torn out of the binding. The sewing was broken and the endbands lost. [9a and 9b]
The gatherings were most damaged at the front and the back. [10a and 10b]
One of the illuminated leaves (folio 14) was detached and severely damaged. In parts, the writing had been smeared. Leaves 49, 50 and 51 had been burnt and damaged. [11]
Conservation treatment
In the course of the present treatment, the textblock was taken apart, and dust cleaned off the pages with a fine cotton cloth. Other soiling was removed using an eraser. [12a and 12b]
Damaged areas were repaired and missing parts were filled with Japanese paper dyed with tea. [13a and 13b]
New endpapers were made using Japanese paper, and the gatherings were sewed together using the traditional Islamic link-stitch. [14 and 14b]
The spine lining with flanges on both sides was made of Japanese paper. Endbands were sewn in the traditional Islamic style out of silk thread. [15]
New boards were cut and lined with acid-free paper. In accordance with Islamic binding traditions, the covers were cut the same size as the textblock. The new boards and spine were covered with vegetable-tanned sheepskin leather that had been dyed with aniline dye. [16]
Existing parts of the original leather binding were then adhered back into place on the new binding and the textblock was mounted to this binding. [17a, 17b, 17c] The original endpapers and call mark were re-adhered in their initial position. [18]
An extra sheet of Japanese paper was placed before illuminated pages for additional protection. [19a and 19b]
On folios 6r, 14r, and 66r the bottom of the illustrations were slightly damaged and the paint was flaking, so these areas were consolidated with a 2% solution of Klucel G (hydroxypropylcellulose). A case for the treated manuscript was made from acid-free cardboard.
Adhesives used in the treatment were methylcellulose and wheat starch paste preserved with methylparaben.
