An illuminated Qur'an, East Persia or Afghanistan, 19th Century, with lacquer binding from the second half of the 19th Century

Arabic and Persian manuscript on paper, 353 leaves, 13 lines to the page written in naskhi script in black ink with diacritics and vowel points in black and red ink, interlinear Persian translation written in minute shikasteh script in red ink, interlinear gilt rules throughout, gold discs between verses, inner margins ruled in black, red, green and gold, catchwords, sura headings written in thuluth script in white within illuminated rectangular panels, illuminated frontispiece preceded by two full-page illuminated panels each incorporating a medallion containing opening prayers, one illuminated finispiece and two full-page illuminated panels, near-contemporary Qajar lacquer binding with covers depicting nightingales (bulbul) perched on wild red roses on a black ground, rebacked
225 x 150 mm.

The depiction of nightingales (bulbul) perched on wild roses in lacquer work was popular in the second half of the 19th Century. For a similar cover, on a mirror case, signed by Fathallah Shirazi, perhaps Shiraz, dated AH 1289/AD 1872-73, see N. D. Khalili, B. W. Robinson, T. Stanley, Lacquer of the Islamic Lands: Part Two, London 1997, pp. 124-125, no. 329.