A concertina album of calligraphy, signed by Abd al-Rahim, Persia, Qajar, dated 1276 AH/1860 AD

Persian manuscript on paper, 14 album pages bound in concertina form, each with a text panel of 4 lines of nasta'liq script written diagonally within cloud bands against a gold ground, final folio with 8 lines of text, salmon-pink outer margins, tan morocco binding with stamped central lobed cartouches with foliate motifs

In good overall condition, occasional minor stains, minor wear to binding, as viewed.
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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 concertina album contains versed Munajat, attributed to Imam ‘Ali.

The scribe ‘Abd al-Rahim (pen-named Afsar) was a scribe of nasta’liq as well as naskh.  His recorded works include inscriptions on buildings in Isfahan, manuscripts, calligraphic pages and lithographed copies of newspapers and the divan of Zahir Isfahani and are dated between 1277 AH/1860-61 AD and 1308 AH/1890-91 AD, making this piece his earliest recorded work so far (Mehdi Bayani, ahval va athar-e khosh-navisan, vol.II, 1346 sh, pp.381-4).

The album was made as a gift to Mirza Abu Talib (d.1871-72), better known as Farrukh Khan, the name given to him by Fath 'Ali Shah when he joined his court as a young boy. He rose in ranks during Muhammad Shah's reign and in particular under Nasir al-Din Shah, and was titled Amin al-Mulk in 1858-59 (see Mehdi Bamdad, Dictionary of National Biography of Iran, 1700-1960, vol.3, Tehran, 1966, pp.80-86).