Stunning Highlights from Arts of the Islamic World

An Oushak 'Medallion' carpet, second half 16th century, west Anatolia
Estimate £150,000–250,000

A notable survivor of sixteenth century Oushak carpet production, distinguished by its remarkable condition, and with a rich and unusually varied palette, which allows us to appreciate today the luxurious production of the Ottoman weaving ateliers.

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A large qur'an leaf in gold Kufic script on blue vellum, near east, north Africa or southern Spain, 9th-10th century AD
Estimate £400,000–600,000

This leaf is from an extraordinary manuscript, commonly referred to as the 'Blue Qur’an'. When complete, it must have been one of the most luxurious manuscripts ever produced in the early medieval period in the Islamic world.

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An illustration to the Bhagavata Purana: Kamsa attacks Devaki during her wedding procession, attributed to a master of the first generation after Nainsukh, India, Pahari, Guler or Kangra, circa 1780
Estimate £200,000–300,000

This dynamic painting is from the well-known Bhagavata Purana series of circa 1780. It has long been associated with artists of the first generation after Nainsukh and Manaku, the greatest family of Pahari painters of the second half of the eighteenth century, and is revered as one of the most supremely accomplished sets of Pahari paintings.

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A rare sword with bubri-patterned watered-steel blade, from the Palace Armoury of Tipu Sultan, India, Seringapatam, circa 1782-99
Estimate £100,000–150,000

This blade is unique within the recorded group of swords attributed to the ownership of Tipu Sultan, in being forged with a distinctive bubri pattern. Tipu’s personal emblem was the tiger and as such, all of his belongings and many of those of his courtiers and soliders were emblazoned with tiger stripes or bubris.

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A portrait of Nazar 'Ali Beg, son of Alqas Mirza by Mu'in Musavvir, Isfahan, Persia, dated 1084 AH/1674-5 AD
Estimate £80,000–120,000

This portrait of a well-dressed youth is an important example of the single-figure portraits painted by Mu'in Musavvir (1617-1708), who was one of the greatest and most prolific Persian artists of the seventeenth century.

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A rare Maghribi ilt-metal thread embroidered curtain or cover, north Africa, probably Morocco, circa 17th century
Estimate £50,000–70,000

This beautiful textile is a rare survival belonging to a small corpus of Maghribi textiles produced in North Africa, probably Morocco, for Mecca or with a connection to the Hajj, perhaps as early as the seventeenth century.

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An early qur'an leaf in Hijazi script on vellum, Arabian peninsula, second half 7th century AD
Estimate £150,000–200,000

This rare vellum leaf belongs to the earliest group of Qur'an manuscripts, which are also considered the earliest examples of any sort of Arabic manuscript. These Qur'ans have been dated to the second half of the seventh century, only decades after the death of the Prophet Muhammad.

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An elegant Safavid celestial globe and frame, Persia, 17th century, probably Isfahan
Estimate £80,000–120,000

This elegant and well-constructed celestial globe bears the hallmarks of a Safavid Iranian provenance, which, in the context of instrumentation, means late seventeenth-century Isfahan. Although unsigned and undated it looks as if it may be the handiwork of one of the leading instrument-makers of Isfahan.

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A Jungle Myna (acridotheres fuscus) on a fruiting branch, with signature of Zayn Al-Din, from the Lady Impey series, Company School, Calcutta, with date 1778
Estimate £25,000–35,000

This study of a Jungle Myna bird is from the great series of bird and animal illustrations painted for Sir Eljiah and Lady Impey between 1777 and 1783, the earliest and without doubt the finest of the natural history series made for the British in India.

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A rare bichrome calligraphic pottery dish, Nishapur or Samarqand, 10th century
Estimate £30,000–50,000

The inscription on this dish reads: ‘Eat [what is] in it with enjoyment and fulfilment’, a popular phrase found on slip-painted vessels that often refer to the purpose of the dish.

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A Kashan lustre pottery vessel in the form of a seated female ruler, Persia, 12th/13th century
Estimate £10,000-15,000

Figurines represent a significant part of production at Kashan in the late Seljuq period. Although the symbolism of the present example is unclear, it could have connotations of fertility.

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