Tuhfat al-ahrar (Gift of the free) by Jami (d. 1492)

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 88 [3]

1931-1942
Henri Vever (1854-1942), likely purchased at Galerie Georges Petit Sale in June 1931 [4]

1942-1947
Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947), bequest of Henri Vever [5]

1947-1986
Francois Mautin (1907-2003), bequest of Jeanne Louise Monthiers and Henri Vever [6]

From 1986
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery purchased from Francois Mautin [7]

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 rest was sold at auction at Galerie Georges Petit on May 11-16, 1908 in Paris, France.

[2] 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 suffered financial troubles and in 1931 sold most of his art collection, the majority of which he had inherited from his father. It's 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 92. See annotations from this auction on the verso of last folio.

[4] An accomplished French jeweler and collector, Henri Vever (1854-1942) amassed a large and impressive collection of works of art during his lifetime. His holdings in Japanese prints and Islamic arts of the books, especially from Iran and India, were among the most important assembled in the early twentieth century. As indicated by annotations on the interior of the manuscript, Vever purchased this manuscript from at the Galerie Georges Petit auction in June 1931 (see note 3). This work was in Vever's collection at the time of his death in 1942.

[5] 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.

[6] 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 work is part of that collection. See exhibits F and G as cited in note 5.

[7] 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 completed on June 26, 2022.