A SAFAVID LEAF OF THE INTRODUCTION OF ABU MANSOURI'S SHAHNAMEH, PERSIA 17TH CENTURY Persian manuscript on paper, 10 lines in black nastaliq script reserved in clouds against a sprinkled gold ground, the top stylized in royal gold and polychrome decoration, depicting the introduction of Abu Mansouri's shahnameh. Catalogue note: The Shahnameh of Abu-Mansour, was a prose epic and history of Persian Empire before Muslim conquests. It was the main source for the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi. The Shahnameh of Abu-Mansur is now lost, but its preface which consists of 15 pages, has survived and is one of the oldest examples of Persian prose and is considered one of the most valuable heritages of Persian literature. Abu Mansour Mamari was an Persian nobleman who served as the personal minister of the Samanid general Abu Mansur Muhammad. At an unknown date, the latter wanted to create a Shahnameh ("Book of Kings"), and ordered Abu Mansour Mamari to invite several scholars. They created a New Persian version of the Khwaday-Namag in 957, and expanded it with other sources. The book became known as "Shahnama-yi Abu Mansouri" (the book of kings of Abu Mansouri). However, only the introduction of the book remains today, 25 by 14 cm