Lot 26

Qur'an, Finely Illuminated Arabic Manuscript on Fine Vellum with a Contemporary Lacquer Binding, Zand or Early Qajar, Persia, Late 18th Century

Estimate

8,000 - 12,000 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

266 leaves, 19 lines per page, in miniature naskhi script in black ink on a gold ground throughout, on fine vellum, interlinear decoration of a vegetal motif in blue, verse markers of gold roundels with a central green dot, margins ruled in blue green and gold, hizb and juz' markers of gold cartouches in margin, marginal commentary in fine nasta'liq in black on silver cloud bands against gold ground, 3 richly illuminated double pages with fine border illumination in colours and gold comprising the names of the surahs on a geometric ground, followed by a prayer within radiating cartouches, following by the opening surahs, lacquer binding decorated with flowers and butterflies, doublures with gold vine on red ground

Catalogue Note

The uncommon use of delicate, paper-thin vellum in Qur'an production of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries appears to have been restricted to only those of the highest calibre embellished with lavish illumination, as witnessed here.

The early date of this Qur'an is suggested by an ownership inscription on the final folio that records the date A.H. 1197/A.D. 1782. This date coincides with the changeover from Zandi to Qajar rule in the final years of the eighteenth century, and it is possible that this Qur'an was written under either the Zand, who fell in 1794, or the Qajar who began their rule in 1779.

This early date is further supported by the floral lacquer binding that is closely comparable to a set of two panels signed Ya Sadiq al-Wa'd and dated to 1762-1763 that exhibit a number of similar features to the present example. Namely the style in which the blooming rose is depicted with radiating yellow dashes at its centre, and the distinctive large eyed butterflies with sinuous antennae that populate both flower scenes (Khalili et al 1996cat.66, p.100-101).