Saba

Saba, Mahmud Khan (1813-1893), a poet, calligrapher, and artist, bearing the title Malik al-Shu’ara’ (Poet Laureate). His father and grandfather were poet laureates under Fath’ali Shah. Having studied under his paternal uncle, Muhammad Qasim Khan Furugh, he assumed different offices under Nasir al-Din Shah. He had also mastery of most of calligraphic hands, particularly Nasta’liq and Shikasta and was a skillful illustrator, sculptor, and expert in inlay work on wood and ivory and making pen cases.

Farhang-i A’lam-i Sukhan (2, 1156). 

Saba, ‘Ali Riza (b. 1895), son of Ghulam Riza ‘Nadimbashi’, grandson of Fath’ali Khan Saba. A contemporary poet born in Tehran. Having received his formal education, he studied belles-lettres and the art of poetry under Husayn Sami’i, with the nom de plume ‘Ata (Adib al-Saltana), Shams al-‘Ulama’ Qarib, with the nom de plume Rabbani, Muhammad Taqi Bahar, in Tehran, and Adib Niyshaburi, in Mashhad, and became a fully-fledged poet. He  found a government employment at the age of 19 and served at the Interior Ministry and was promoted to high ranks until his retirement. He was a permanent member of ‘Farhangistan Literary Society’ and ‘Iran Literary Society’. 

Farhang-i Sha’iran-i Zaban-i Parsi az Aghaz ta Imruz (1, 341-342).