An illuminated calligraphic muraqqa', signed by Mehmed Şefik, Turkey, Ottoman, dated 1269 AH/1852-53 AD

Arabic manuscript on paper, laid down on 13 album pages, opening page with surah al-Fatiha, followed by a saying of Imam 'Ali and a saying of the Prophet Muhammad, followed by exercises on single and joined letters (mufradat), each panel with 2 large lines of text in thuluth script, enclosing two lines of smaller text in black naskh script, gold flowers set within the text panels at either side, ruled in black and gold, inner and outer borders of marbled paper in various colours, colophon page with 2 ebru tulips either side, red morocco binding with gilt-stamped lobed central medallions with chinoiserie cloud motifs and scrolling gilt borders

In very good overall condition, occasional minor stains, calligraphy bold and colours bright, as viewed.
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Mehmed Şefik (d.1880) was among the famous students of Mustafa Izzet Efendi (see lot 147), who was also his uncle by marriage. As well as working in the imperial chancery, he was the calligraphy tutor to several institutions, including The First Regiment of the Palace Cavalry and the Imperial College of Music. He later became tutor to the officials of the Sultan's palace. He worked on numerous important architectural commissions, including the repairs to the inscriptions in the Ulu Camii in Bursa, Qur'anic verses on the mausoleum of Abdülmecid and the Dome of the Rock, and the relief inscriptions on the gate to what is now Istanbul University (see Şevket Rado, Türk Hattatlari, Istanbul 1984, pp.220-1 and M. Ugur Derman, Letters in Gold: Ottoman Calligraphy from the Sakıp Sabancı Collection, Istanbul, exh. cat., New York, 1989, p.122).