Publications

Publication list

A bibliography of books, articles, films, collections and online resources about the calligrapher Mishkín-Qalam (c. 1824–1912), or in which he is discussed. Entries marked ★ are cited on this website. Links open the full text where it is freely available, or otherwise a library, publisher or catalogue record.

Works devoted to Mishkín-Qalam

★ Afnan, Nooshfar B. “Encouragement of the Arts during the Ministry of ʻAbdu’l-Bahá: The Services of Master Calligrapher Mishkín-Qalam.” Journal of Bahá’í Studies 33, nos. 1–2 (2023): 71–108. View ↗

Aidun, Gol. “Mishkin Qalam, the Great Calligrapher and Humorist.” Unpublished paper presented at the New England Regional Conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies, 1982. An audio recording of a talk by Gol Aidun on Mishkín-Qalam is available from Bahá’í Blog. View ↗

Aidun, Gol. “Mishkin-Qalam (‘Musk-scented Pen’): His Calligraphy and Humour.” Paper presented at the Sixth Annual Conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies, Ottawa, 1981.

★ Arian, Arman. “A Note on the Age and Year of Birth of Jináb-i-Mishkín-Qalam.” Translated from the Persian. Mishkinqalam.com. View ↗

★ Badiee, Julie Oeming, and Heshmatollah Badiee. “The Calligraphy of Mishkín-Qalam.” Journal of Bahá’í Studies 3, no. 4 (1991): 1–22. View ↗

★ Meshgin, Mehrdad K. “Mishkin-Qalam: His Life and Work.” In Proceedings of the Second Bahá’í Studies Conference, Held at Bahá’í School, Yerrinbool, N.S.W., Australia, April 1st–4th 1983. Lindisfarne, Tas.: University of Tasmania Bahá’í Society, 1983. Persian translation published in Payám-i-Bahá’í, July and August 2021. View ↗

★ Meshgin, Mehrdad. “Mishkin Qalam.” Herald of the South, April 1985, 2–11.

Mooghen, Amanullah. “Áthár va Aḥvál-i Ba‘ḍí az Khushnivísán-i Bahá’í.” In Khúshih-há’í az Kharman-i Adab va Hunar, vol. 1. Landegg, Switzerland: Society for Persian Letters and Arts, 1990. In Persian.

★ Motamed, Saeid. “A Glance at Calligraphy in the Bahá’í Faith and the Writings of Mishkín-Qalam.” In Khúshih-há’í az Kharman-i Adab va Hunar, vol. 4, 116–40. Landegg, Switzerland: Society for Persian Letters and Arts, 1992. In Persian. View ↗

★ Rafati, Vahid. “Mishkin Qalam.” In Society for Persian Letters and Arts, Mishkín Qalam: XIX Century Artist & Calligrapher, 1826–1912. Landegg, Switzerland: Landegg Academy, 1992. View ↗

★ Schimmel, Annemarie. “Note on Mishkín Qalam.” In Society for Persian Letters and Arts, Mishkín Qalam: XIX Century Artist & Calligrapher, 1826–1912. Landegg, Switzerland: Landegg Academy, 1992. View ↗

Sharifi, Gloria. “Mishkín Qalam.” Payám-i Badí‘, no. 89 (May 1990): 24–28. In Persian.

★ Society for Persian Letters and Arts. Mishkín Qalam: XIX Century Artist & Calligrapher, 1826–1912. With an introduction by Vahid Rafati, a note by Annemarie Schimmel and a preface by the editors. Landegg, Switzerland: Landegg Academy, 1992. Printed in Darmstadt by Reyhani. ISBN 3-906714-01-2. View ↗

Film and music

★ ELViRiA (Amir Válá Meshkin). Mishkin-Qalam: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. New World Order Productions. View ↗

★ Nasehi, Elnaz, and Arman Arian, dirs. Mishkín-Qalam. Documentary film. Executive producers Amir Válá Meshkin, Dr Mehrdad Meshgin and Nahid Meshgin. New World Order Productions, [year]. View ↗

Primary and early accounts

★ ʻAbdu’l-Bahá. Memorials of the Faithful. Translated by Marzieh Gail. Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1971. See “Mishkín-Qalam,” 97–101. View ↗

Afroukhteh, Youness. Memories of Nine Years in ‘Akká. Translated by Riaz Masrour. Oxford: George Ronald, 2003. View ↗

Blomfield, Lady (Sitárih Khánum). The Chosen Highway. London: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1940. View ↗

★ Browne, Edward Granville, ed. and trans. A Traveller’s Narrative Written to Illustrate the Episode of the Bab. 2 vols. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1891.

★ Browne, Edward Granville. A Year Amongst the Persians. London: A. & C. Black, 1893. New edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1926.

★ Browne, Edward Granville. “Bāb, Bābīs.” In Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, edited by James Hastings, vol. 2. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1909.

Browne, Edward Granville. Materials for the Study of the Bábí Religion. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1918. Includes a photograph of Mishkín-Qalam.

Ḥaydar-‘Alí, Ḥájí Mírzá. Stories from the Delight of Hearts: The Memoirs of Ḥájí Mírzá Ḥaydar-‘Alí. Translated and abridged by A. Q. Faizi. Los Angeles: Kalimát Press, 1980. View ↗

Momen, Moojan, ed. Selections from the Writings of E. G. Browne on the Bábí and Bahá’í Religions. Oxford: George Ronald, 1987. View ↗

Momen, Moojan, ed. The Bábí and Bahá’í Religions, 1844–1944: Some Contemporary Western Accounts. Oxford: George Ronald, 1981. See “The Cyprus Exiles.” View ↗

Salmání, Ustád Muḥammad-‘Alíy-i-. My Memories of Bahá’u’lláh. Translated by Marzieh Gail. Los Angeles: Kalimát Press, 1982. View ↗

Histories and biographical studies

Balyuzi, H. M. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: The Centre of the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh. London: George Ronald, 1971. View ↗

Balyuzi, H. M. Bahá’u’lláh: The King of Glory. Oxford: George Ronald, 1980. View ↗

★ Balyuzi, H. M. Eminent Bahá’ís in the Time of Bahá’u’lláh, with Some Historical Background. Oxford: George Ronald, 1985. The entry on Mishkín-Qalam is in chapter 20, “The Apostles of Bahá’u’lláh,” by Moojan Momen, 270–72. View ↗

Day, Michael V. Coronation on Carmel: The Story of the Shrine of the Báb. Vol. 2, 1922–1963. Oxford: George Ronald, 2018. View ↗

Day, Michael V. Journey to a Mountain: The Story of the Shrine of the Báb. Vol. 1, 1850–1921. Oxford: George Ronald, 2017. View ↗

Gail, Marzieh. Summon Up Remembrance. Oxford: George Ronald, 1987. View ↗

Hogenson, Kathryn Jewett. Lighting the Western Sky: The Hearst Pilgrimage and the Establishment of the Bahá’í Faith in the West. Oxford: George Ronald, 2010. View ↗

Momen, Moojan. Bahá’u’lláh: A Short Biography. Oxford: Oneworld, 2007. View ↗

Momen, Moojan. The Bahá’í Communities of Iran, 1851–1921. 2 vols. Oxford: George Ronald, 2015–2021. View ↗

★ Momen, Moojan. “The Cyprus Exiles.” Bahá’í Studies Bulletin 5, no. 3–6, no. 1 (June 1991): 84–113. View ↗

★ Nakhjavani, Bahiyyih. Four on an Island. Oxford: George Ronald, 1983. View ↗

Rabbani, Rúḥíyyih. The Priceless Pearl. London: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1969. View ↗

Redman, Earl. Shoghi Effendi through the Pilgrim’s Eye. Vol. 1. Oxford: George Ronald, 2015. View ↗

Redman, Earl. Visiting ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. 2 vols. Oxford: George Ronald, 2019–2021. View ↗

Ruhe, David S. Door of Hope: A Century of the Bahá’í Faith in the Holy Land. Oxford: George Ronald, 1983. View ↗

Schaefer, Udo, Nicola Towfigh and Ulrich Gollmer. Making the Crooked Straight: A Contribution to Bahá’í Apologetics. Translated by Geraldine Schuckelt. Oxford: George Ronald, 2000. View ↗

Stockman, Robert H. The Bahá’í Faith in America. Vol. 2, Early Expansion, 1900–1912. Oxford: George Ronald, 1995. View ↗

Taherzadeh, Adib. The Child of the Covenant. Oxford: George Ronald, 2000. View ↗

Taherzadeh, Adib. The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh. Oxford: George Ronald, 1992. View ↗

Taherzadeh, Adib. The Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh. 4 vols. Oxford: George Ronald, 1974–1987. Vol. 1 (1974) describes him as “a native of Isfahan.” View ↗

Reference works

★ Adamson, Hugh C. Historical Dictionary of the Bahá’í Faith. 2nd ed. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2007.

Collins, William P. Bibliography of English-Language Works on the Bábí and Bahá’í Faiths, 1844–1985. Oxford: George Ronald, 1990. View ↗

Momen, Wendi, ed. A Basic Bahá’í Dictionary. Oxford: George Ronald, 1989. S.v. “Mishkín-Qalam.” View ↗

The Bahá’í World. Vol. 3, 1928–1930. New York: Bahá’í Publishing Committee, 1930. Lists Mishkín-Qalam among the nineteen Apostles of Bahá’u’lláh. View ↗

Art history, calligraphy and conservation

★ Bodleian Libraries. “Persian Recipes: Black Inks.” University of Oxford. View ↗

Gruber, Christiane. “Without Pen, Without Ink: Fingernail Art in the Qajar Period.” In Revealing the Unseen: New Perspectives on Qajar Art, edited by Gwenaëlle Fellinger with Melanie Gibson. London: Gingko; Paris: Musée du Louvre, 2021.

Ishikawa, Shingo, and Patrick Ravines. “The Conservation and Restoration of Calligraphy by Mishkín Qalam.” Bahá’í World Centre, 2004–2007. Bahá’í Library Online. View ↗

Kamal el-Baba. Rúḥ al-Khaṭṭ al-‘Arabí [The spirit of Arabic calligraphy]. 2nd ed. Lebanon, 1988. In Arabic.

Karímzádih Tabrízí, Muḥammad-‘Alí. Aḥvál va Áthár-i Naqqáshán-i Qadím-i Írán va Barkhí az Mashāhír-i Nigārgar-i Hind va ‘Uthmání. 2 vols. London, 1990. In Persian.

★ Schimmel, Annemarie. Calligraphy and Islamic Culture. New York: New York University Press, 1984.

★ Stermotich-Cappellari, Francesco. “The Calligraphic Art of Mishkin Qalam.” In Persian Art: Image-Making in Eurasia, edited by Yuka Kadoi, 133–56. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2018.

Persian-language reference and historical works

Bayání, Mihdí. Aḥvál va Áthár-i Khushnivísán. Vol. 3. Tehran, 1348 Sh./1969.

★ Dihkhudá, ‘Alí-Akbar. Lughatnámih [Dictionary]. Vol. 13, 20961, 20969–70. S.vv. “مشک,” “مشک‌رنگ,” “مشکی,” “مشکین.”

★ Ishráq-Khávarí, ‘Abdu’l-Ḥamíd. Núrayn-i-Nayyirayn. Tehran: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1967. View ↗

★ Mázandarání, Fáḍil. Asráru’l-Áthár. Vol. 1. Tehran: Mu’assisiy-i-Millíy-i-Maṭbú‘át-i-Amrí, 1968. View ↗

★ Mu‘ín, Muḥammad. Farhang-i Fársí [Persian dictionary]. Tehran: Amir Kabir. S.v. “Mushkín.”

Museum collections and auction records

★ Bahá’í World Centre Archives, Haifa. Calligraphic works and transcriptions by Mishkín-Qalam. Institutional collection.

Bern Historical Museum, Switzerland. Work by Mishkín-Qalam dated 1319/1901–2, M.B. 288, no. 39b. Cited in Gruber, “Without Pen, Without Ink” (2021).

★ British Museum. Calligraphic panel signed by Mishkín-Qalam, AH 1307/1889–90. Museum no. [TO VERIFY]. View ↗

★ Christie’s. “A Baha’i Calligraphic Panel, Signed ‘Abd al-Baha’ Mishkin Qalam, Ottoman Akka, Dated Dhu’l Hijja AH 1319/March–April 1902 AD.” Lot 167, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds including Rugs and Carpets, sale 22675, London, April 25, 2024. View ↗

Christie’s. “A Calligraphic Panel, Signed Mishkin Qalam, Maghusa, Cyprus, Dated AH 1294/1877 AD.” Lot record. View ↗

★ Harvard Art Museums / Arthur M. Sackler Museum. Mishkín-Qalam, The Name of “Bahá’u’lláh” in the Form of a Rooster, 1887–1888. Ink, colour and gold on paper. Gift of John Goelet, 1958.197. View ↗

★ Harvard Art Museums. Artist record: Mishkin Qalam. View ↗

★ Sotheby’s. “A Calligraphic Panel with Confronting Cockerels, by Mushkin Qalam, Probably Akka, Palestine, Dated 1317 AH/1899 AD.” Lot 56, A Princely Collection: Treasures from the Islamic World, sale L10225, London, October 5, 2010. View ↗

Online resources

Bahá’í Library Online. “Tag: Mishkín-Qalam.” Catalogue and chronology entries. View ↗

★ Bahá’í Reference Library. “The Transliteration System Used in Bahá’í Literature.” Bahá’í International Community. View ↗

Bahaipedia. “Mishkín-Qalam.” View ↗

Bahaiworks. Full-text search for “Mishkín-Qalam” across Bahá’í books and periodicals. View ↗

Wikipedia. “Mishkín-Qalam.” View ↗

Image and illustration sources used on this website

★ Metropolitan Museum of Art. Luigi Pesce, [The New Gate, Teheran]. Photograph. View ↗

★ Walters Art Museum. Ḥasan Dihlavī, Dīvān-i Ḥasan, copied by ‘Abd Allāh Mushkīn Qalam, Allahabad, 1011 AH/1602 CE. Ms. W.650. (A different calligrapher with the same title.) View ↗

★ Weston, Harold F. “Gate of Shiraz” (Qur’an Gate, Shiraz). Wikimedia Commons. View ↗

★ “Illustration of the Grand Bazaar of Tehran.” Wikimedia Commons. View ↗