A concertina album with eleven leaves of calligraphy in naskhi script, and five paintings, including two views of palaces, Qajar Persia, early 19th Century, some leaves dated AH 1187/AD 1773-74 and AH 1205/AD 1790-91

Arabic manuscript on paper, 9 leaves, 11 pages of calligraphy, each leaf with variously 5, 6, 8, 9 and 19 lines to the page in naskhi script in black ink, within cloudbands on a gold ground, each laid down on an album page with floral inner borders and outer borders with stylised floral motifs in gold on variously coloured grounds, interspersed with these are five paintings: a youth in Safavid dress with a falcon, a young woman in Qajar dress standing on a terrace (these two probably later), a pastoral scene with a countryman with his herd of cows in a landscape, and two scenes depicting palaces set in ornamental grounds, one with indistinct/defaced signature and date, Qajar lacquer binding, covers 20th Century replacements depicting huntsmen in Safavid style
243 x 164 mm.

Provenance
Private UK collection.

The calligraphic pages are from Qur'an manuscripts: three are signed by Muhammad Hashim, two of them copied in Yazd, two dated AH 1187/AD 1773-74 and AH 1205/AD 1790-91. One page is signed by Muhammad Sharif (unidentified) in shikasteh. The remainder are not signed.

Important Notice to Buyers
Some countries e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of Iranian-origin works. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.