where are you.. is cold damage feasible.. ken

I would say our temps haven't gone to freezing for about 3 weeks before this plant was delivered. But I am in Calgary Alberta so it is certainly possible. Just for some more information the leaves are not dry at all they still have the soft velvety feel of the healthy leaves but do feel a little thin.

In a container? or the ground?

In a container direct from a supplier. The plant was delivered like this. I did ask for the plant to be exchanged and they have since dropped of a replacement but also left this one behind. So if it is a disease I will want to get rid of it. If just damaged leaves might be worth keeping. I am keeping it away from my other plants right now.

It might have been cold damage if it was supplied from a source that was in a warmer area and then exposed to cold temperatures, but it might be sunburn if it was in a shade house or under the shadow of other plants and then was left out in full sun for a bit. It looks to me more like mechanical damage than disease. The only disease I've seen on lilacs has been powdery mildew and that has been on Syringa vulgaris, not Tinkerbelle (which is a cross between two other lilac species), so I wouldn't worry about disease, to be honest.