An illuminated miniature Qur'an, Persia, probably Herat, Safavid, 16th century

Arabic manuscript on paper, 308 leaves, 17 lines to the page written in naskh in black ink, ruled in gold, blue and green, verses separated by gold roundels with blue and red dots, khams and 'ashr marked by illuminated marginal roundels with inscriptions in Kufic, further text divisions marked by illuminated marginal lobed medallions with inscriptions in thuluth, surah headings in white on gold and polychrome illuminated panels, in gilt-stamped brown leather binding decorated with cloud scrolls, with flap
9.2 by 5.2cm.

Condition Report:
The manuscript in stable condition. The text block has been trimmed causing some cropping to the opening illuminated bifolio, as shown in the illustration, and to some of the marginal medallions throughout the manuscript. The text clear and legible. Minor areas of staining and discolouration but the text block presents as clean overall. The penultimate leaf later replaced. Further, minor repairs to the text block, a small number of which affect the text panel, and retouching to the opening illumination. The binding stable and in good condition with some surface wear and rubbing to the gilding. As viewed.

Catalogue Note:
The final page of the manuscript bears a scribe's name Mihr 'Ali ibn 'Umar Ibrahim and states that it entered the royal library of Muhammad Ibrahim ibn Hajji in Isfahan in 840 AH/1436 AD. The style of the illumination, however, follows the mid-sixteenth century tradition of Herati illumination. The illuminated frontispiece is closely comparable to a larger Qur'an in the Khalili collection (James 1992, pp.118-123, no.32). Also comparable are the khams and 'ashr markers with Kufic inscriptions set within a roundel on a scrolling ground.

Provenance:
Sotheby's, London, 29 April 1998, lot 29