An illuminated Qur’an, copied by ‘Ali Reza ibn Haji Muhammad Ja’far, Persia, Qajar, dated 1258 AH/1842 AD

Arabic manuscript on paper, 416 leaves, 12 lines to the page, written in elegant naskh script in black ink, with interlinear Persian translation in nasta’liq, verses separated by polychrome and gold rosettes, surah headings in gold thuluth within a gold and polychrome cartouche, polychrome and gold verse markers within foliated cartouches, commentaries in black shikasteh script on a gold ground within cartouches, 30 bifolia marking the juz' divisions with borders decorated with intricate gold and polychrome interlacing scrolls, opening gold and polychrome double page with two portraits including Imam 'Ali seated holding a sword (f.2a), followed by illuminated double page with a surah index, followed by an illuminated frontispiece composed of a thick border of interlacing flowers and split-palmettes, fine floral lacquer binding

In very good conditions, minor stains, minor rubbing, minor scratches to the binding, as viewed.
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The colophon of this Qur'an gives the name of the merchant Haji Muhammad Baqir who commissioned this fine manuscript. The opening double page with portraits is quite an unusual feature of this Qur'an, and it was undoubtedly a commission for a Shia Muslim, as the portrait on the left hand side clearly represents 'Ali with his sword (dhu’l-faqar).

Two later notes register the deaths of two members of the family of Haji Muhammad Baqir: his mother, Kafiyeh (?) Khanom, who died on 14 Shawwal 1289 AH/15 December 1872 AD, and Karbala’i Aqa Bozorg on 22 Shawwal 1289 AH/23 December 1872 AD.

Two other manuscripts copied by ‘Ali Reza ibn Haji Muhammad Ja’far are recorded: a tadhkirah al-‘abidin dated 1 Ramadan 1258  AH/6 October 1842 AD, mentioned by Mehdi Bayani in the National Library in Tehran, and a Qur'an dated 1260 AH/1844 AD, sold in these rooms, 16 October 1996, lot 29.