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Kalila wa Dimna, signed by Alti ibn ‘abd al-‘Aziz ibn Alti Ahmad, Near East, dated 747 AH/1347 AD
Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 GBP
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Description
- ink on paper - bound manuscript
Arabic manuscript on paper, 98 leaves, 19 lines to the page arranged in 2 columns, written in naskh script in black ink, headings in red, f.57b and f.58a ruled in red, in marbled paper binding
Condition
In very good condition, the margins are clean with only minor catchwords, ownership notes at the beginning and end, minor stains are restorations to the paper affecting mainly the borders, 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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
Kalila wa Dimna is probably the most famous book of fables in Arabic. Based on a Sanskrit text titled Panchatantra, the volume presents animal fables which are supposed to be guidance for life and behaviour. The oldest surviving example is now in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris (inv.no.3465) and was copied in Syria between 1200 and 1220 AD. During the fourteenth and fifteenth century the text experienced a revival and was extensively copied, as evidenced by the present fine edition.
In Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani’s biographical dictionary of the notables of the eighth century AH, al-Durar al-kaminah fi a’yan al-mi’ah al-thamina, there is mention of an Alti ibn ‘abd al-‘Aziz ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Alti Shuja’ al-Din, who is described as being a poet living in Mardin, Turkey, and who went on Hajj in 1366-67 AD.
Several ownership notes and seals are present on the first and last leaves, including one which can be compared to another almost identical on the Kitab al-aghani ('Book of Songs'), now in the Millet Yazma Eser Kutuphanesi, Istanbul (Roxburgh 2005, p.97).
In Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani’s biographical dictionary of the notables of the eighth century AH, al-Durar al-kaminah fi a’yan al-mi’ah al-thamina, there is mention of an Alti ibn ‘abd al-‘Aziz ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Alti Shuja’ al-Din, who is described as being a poet living in Mardin, Turkey, and who went on Hajj in 1366-67 AD.
Several ownership notes and seals are present on the first and last leaves, including one which can be compared to another almost identical on the Kitab al-aghani ('Book of Songs'), now in the Millet Yazma Eser Kutuphanesi, Istanbul (Roxburgh 2005, p.97).