THE SAD KALIMA

SIGNED 'ABD AL-WAHID AL-MASHHADI, CONSTANTINOPLE, DATED AH 977/1569-70 AD

Details

THE SAD KALIMA
SIGNED 'ABD AL-WAHID AL-MASHHADI, CONSTANTINOPLE, DATED AH 977/1569-70 AD
The Hundred Sayings of the Imam 'Ali, Persian manuscript on gold-sprinkled paper,18ff. plus 3 fly-leaves, each folio with two panels of 4ll. of neat black nasta'liq arranged on the diagonal and alternated with lines of larger nasta'liq, a further line above and below, with the text in two columns, with gold intercolumnar and interlinear rules, the text panels with gold, black and blue rules, catchwords, first folio with gold and polychrome illuminated headpiece, colophon with the signature of 'Abd al-Wahid al-Mashhadi, the date of 977 and stating that it was copied in Constantinople, later owner's notes on first and final fly-leaves, in marbled paper binding with flap, paper doublures
Text panel 4 5/8 x 2in. (11.9 x 5.2cm.); folio 6 7/8 x 4 1/8in. (17.1 x 10.4cm.)

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Lot Essay

This manuscript bears the seal of the statesman and son-in-law of Nasir al-Din Shah, 'Ali Khan Zahir al-Dawlah Qajar, dating from after his appointment as Master of Ceremonies (vazir-e tashrifat) to Nasir al-Din Shah in AH 1304/1886-7 AD. A portrait of him sold in these Rooms, 23 April 2002, lot 172.

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