An illuminated Qur'an leaf on vellum, North Africa or Near East, 9th century AD

text: surah al-rum (XXX), part of verse 30 to part of verse 40
Arabic manuscript on vellum, 14 lines to the page, written in black elongated Kufic script, verses separated by small triangular clusters of three gold dots, vocalisation represented by red and yellow dots, wide outer margins, with a gold rosette

In good overall condition, minor paper repair to one corner and upper leaf edge, minor stains and creases, verso text slightly more worn, rough inside edge, 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 Qur'an leaf originates from an unusual manuscript which in its entirety must have been of exceptional quality. The execution of the text accords to Déroche's 'group F' in his categorisation of early Arabic scripts used for copying the Qur'an (see F. Déroche, The Abbasid Tradition, London, 1992, p.42). The characteristics of this style are a consistent mashq, or 'stretching' of the letter forms, which Déroche notes is a feature typical of leaves from Damascus. Other characteristics of the individual letters are a relatively extenuated alif, a predominently circular mim, and the almost symmetrical shape of the lam-alif form. various leaves from the same Qur'an have been sold in these rooms, most recently 9 April 2014, lot 17.