A large Qur'an leaf (trimmed) in Kufic script on vellum, North Africa or Near East, 8th-9th century AD

text: surah al-kahf (XVIII), part of verse 36 to part of verse 46
Arabic manuscript on vellum, trimmed, 13 lines to the page, written in angular Kufic script in dark brown ink, verses separated by gold florets, reverse with large illuminated device outlined in blue

Sir Howard Hodgkin, C.H., C.B.E., London (b.1932)
Acquired in 1968

In reasonable overall condition, creasing, some stains, reverse ink slightly faded, as viewed.
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The exaggerated spacing, slightly backward-slanting text and stark, angular nature of the letter forms mark this Qur'an leaf as having originated from an early version of the sacred text, probably produced in the eighth century. The spacing and angle of the text recall the very earliest Qur'an manuscripts of the Hijaz region which were executed in vertical format, much like Qur'ans today. However, even though the present leaf is trimmed, its breadth suggests that by this stage the standard format for copying Qur'ans had transferred to the horizontal.

For a Qur'an leaf of a slightly earlier date than the present leaf, illustrating the transformation of the format and Kufic style of early Qur'ans, see Sotheby's London, 3 October 2012, lot 11. Although slightly later in date, comparisons can be drawn in both cases between certain letter forms, including the very circular mims, and alifs with short returns (both of which accord with Déroche's 'Group C', see Déroche 1992, pp.40-1). The illuminated gold florets separating the verses, as well as the larger blue-outline verse-marker on the reverse, also mark the present leaf out as of slightly later origin.