Three Qur'an folios in Maghribi script on vellum, North West Africa or Southern Spain, 12th-14th century

Text: Surat al-Insan (LXXVI), vv.14-25; Surat al-Mursalat (LXXVII), vv.15-27



7 lines per page written in large bold Maghribi script in dark brown ink on vellum, vocalisation in red, yellow green and blue, single verse divisions marked with gold knotted trefoil devices, fifth verse divisions marked in the text with gold devices representing a stylised Kufic letter 'ha' and in the margin with a larger device of similar form containing the word 'khamsa', tenth verse divisions marked in the text with a gold rosette and in the margin with a large illuminated scallop-shaped device containing thw word ' `ashr' in white ornamental Kufic script

The bold, flowing Maghribi script on this unusually large manuscript can be closely compared to a section in the British Library (Or.12523C, see Lings and Safadi, no.45), a bifolium in the Nasser D. Khalili Collection, London (QUR521, see James 1992, no.55), and a fragment of ten leaves sold in these rooms 29th April 1998, lot 17. A bifolium from the same present Qur'an as the present examples was sold in these rooms 12th October 2000, lot 12, and three leaves are in a private collection (Quaritch 1213, no.18).