Qur'an Leaf in Kufic Script on Vellum, North Africa or Near East, 10th Century

text: surat al-hadid (lvii) vv: 3-4



3 lines per page written in bold kufic script in brown ink on vellum, letter pointing of thin brown dashes, vocalisation of red, green and yellow dots, single verse divisions marked with a triangular arrangement of six gold dots

In good condition, passage of light staining to right-hand side of leaf, minor surface wear and thumbing associated with age, flaking largely to hair-side, small tears and minor losses to corners and edges, ink strong and vellum clean, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This leaf comes from an important Qur'an notable for its unusually attenuated and elegant script. The pertinent features which set it apart from normal kufic are the very tall verticals, the wide, curving terminal nun and the thin, trailing tail of the terminal mim. This particular script is only found on two other known Qur'ans. Examples of these can be found in the National Library, Tunis (Lings and Safadi, no.24) and the Musée des arts Islamiques, Qairawan (Carthage, no.358). With only three lines per page as opposed to the five or seven of the aforementioned examples, the present leaf presents a particularly spacious and clear arrangement of script upon the page.