BaileyCollection of Manuscripts

Sensitive parts of the collection are kept separately in a secureenvironment, in another location. The largest and most important group in this collection are Persian, forwhich there is available a systematic published hand-list: A PreliminaryAccount of the Persian Manuscripts in the Collection of Sir Harold Bailey, IranXXX 1997). Probably, the most important single manuscript is an illuminated copyof the Shahnamah of Firdawsi, made in Samarkand in 1604 AD. The other twoimportant Persian manuscripts are the Mathnavi of Jalal-ud din Rumi, 1273AD, and the Diwan of Hafiz, 1289 AD.

Thesecond interesting collection of Bailey manuscripts consists of 12 Armenian books, withoriginal bindings. Several are illustrated with beautiful miniature paintings.From India there are also a number of palm-leaf manuscripts in Oriya andSinhalese scripts, and Sanskrit manuscripts on paper in Devanagari script.Finally there are a few isolated  manuscripts in Arabic, Turkish, Malay andMongolian.

The manuscripts may only be shown to visitors who are seriously interested byprevious appointment, and in the presence of a member of staff.