An important panel of Ottoman calligraphy, signed by Sheker-Zade Mehmed Efendi (d.1753), 18th century, illuminated by Muhsin Demironat (d.1983), Turkey, 20th century

ink heightened with gold on paper, comprising a heading in thuluth script and 5 lines of naskh script in black ink, with two panels of gold floral decoration, laid down on an album page with outer margins flecked with gold

In very good overall condition, very minor abrasions, gold bright and ink strong, as viewed.
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Sheker-zade Mehmed Effendi (d.1753)
Born in Manisa, Sheker-zade Isma'il Efendi studied calligraphy first with Ibrahim Kirimi (d.1737) and then with the famous Yedikuleli Seyyid Abdullah Efendi (d.1731). He copied the holy Qur’an in single pieces and albums. Sheker-zade was very skilled at imitation, and he was encouraged by Sultan Ahmed III (r.1703-30) to stay for a few years in Medina where he imitated a manuscript of the Qur’an by Shaykh Hamdullah Efendi (d.1520) bequeathed to the Prophet’s tomb (al-Rawda al-Mutahhara). Upon his return to Istanbul, he apparently presented this manuscript to the then-reigning Sultan Mahmud I (r.1730-54). It is now preserved in the Suleymaniye Library (Yeni Cami K. 3) in Istanbul, and is the first copy of the Qur’an ever officially printed in Ottoman history (in 1874). Sheker-zade was the calligraphy instructor to members of the Sultan’s privy court and also taught at his house, near the Ayasofya Mosque. He died in March 1753, and like many other calligraphers, was buried near Shaykh Hamdullah’s grave in the Karacaahmed Cemetery, Istanbul.         

Muhsin Demironat (1920-83)
Muhsin Demironat was one of the leading Turkish masters of the art of illumination and lacquer of the twentieth century. He studied under the supervision of outstanding artists such as Tuğrakeş Ismail Hakki Altunbezer (1873-1946), Necmeddin Okyay (1883-1976), Kamil Akdik (1861-1941), Hulusi Yazgan (1869-1940) and Bahattin Tokatlioglu (b. 1867). He taught classical Turkish illumination in the Academy of Fine Arts (Sanayi-i Nefise Mektebi). One of his best-known works is the illumination of a Qur'an manuscript, copied by Kamil Akdik, commissioned by King Fuad I of Egypt, in 1935. Like the present piece, there are a handful of Ottoman calligraphies with later illuminaton by Muhsin Demironat in major private collections and museums.