Lot 139
  • 139

Two prayer manuscripts in one volume: Du’a’ al-Sabah, signed by ’Abd al-Haqq ibn Muhammad al-Sabzavari, Persia, Safavid, dated 919 AH/1513 AD, illuminated by 'Ali Nazuk; prayers for the seven days of the week, 17th century

Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 GBP
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Description

  • ink on paper with leather binding
Arabic manuscript on different paper for each work 17 leaves plus 2 flyleaves, the first 9 leaves 7 lines to the page divided into 3 lines of large thuluth script in gold with blue vocalisation, 4 interlinear lines of smaller text in black naskh script, verses separated by pointed gold florets, finely-illuminated devices either side of the central text panels, margins ruled in blue and gold, opening double page with a single text block of black naskh script, f.1b with finely-illuminated headpiece composed of a rigorous interlace of polychrome vines and split-palmettes within interlocking lobed cartouches, the second work with 8 leaves, 7 lines to the page, written in black naskh script in cloud bands against a gold ground, remargined, opening folio with illuminated headpiece in colours and gold, brown morocco binding with tooled geometric motifs and rope-work borders

Provenance

Round seal of a certain Safi Quli with the date 977 AH/1569-70 AD.

Condition

In generally good overall condition, binding worn and spine repaired, manuscript slightly cropped to accommodate replacement binding, minor water stains to upper leaf edges, other small stains, calligraphy bold and illumination bright, as viewed.
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Catalogue Note

The Prayers for the seven days of the week (without a colophon) are followed by surah al-Baqara (II), verse 255 and 256 and a call to God to bless The Fourteen Innocents.

The scribe ’Abd al-Haqq ibn Muhammad al-Sabzavari recorded as a pupil of ‘Abdullah al-Tabbakh and considered a master by people of Khurasan. He wrote the inscriptions on the dome of the eighth Imam in Mashhad. His only other recorded work is dated 922 AH/1516-17 AD (Minorsky, Calligraphers and Painters, Washington, 1959, p.72; Mehdi Bayani, ahval va athar-e khosh-navisan, vol.IV, Tehran, 1358 sh, p.88).