Divan,

£500 · Offered by Shapero Rare Books

Safa Isfahani (1852-1904) was a Persian mystic and poet born in Firiydan, Isfahan. In his youth he departed for Tehran where he met sufis, mystics and the governor of Khorasan, Mirza Muhammad Riza Munshar al-Mulk. Together they travelled to Mashhad where he stayed at the home of the governor and became acquainted with circles including those of Adib Niyshaburi. Safa never married and led a secluded life for many years thereafter, before falling ill in 1896 and eventually dying of cholera in 1904. It was during these many years of seclusion that most of his poetry was composed, and although his surviving poetry was published in Ahmad Suhiyli Khwansari's Divan in 1984 (reprinted in 1998), few examples of the present edition have survived and no earlier editions have been traced. This publication includes a substantial preface about the author's life and poetry. Single volume, limited edition, printed in Farsi, complete, printed in staggered double columns throughout, internally very clean and crisp condition, contemporary leather-backed boards, spine with raised compartments, gilt morocco label to spine with text in Farsi, spine a little sunned else very good copy. 235 x 170mm (9¼ x 6¾ inches). Farhang-i Sha'iran-i Zaban-i Parsi az Aghaz ta Imruz (1, 354-355).

• Binding: Hardcover

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.