KASHMIR, DATED AH 1231/1815-16 AD

Details

QUR'AN
KASHMIR, DATED AH 1231/1815-16 AD
Illuminated Arabic manuscript on paper, 434ff. as numbered, 15ll. good black naskh on gold sprinkled ground, verse endings with gold circles, occasional words in red naskh, sura headings in variously coloured thuluth on gold cartouches within illuminated panels, red and gold margins between black rules, together with gold meandering floral margin, outer panels of nasta'liq commentary written diagonally, coloured trangular panels with gold floral designs, gold outer margin between black rules, occasional red outer marginal notes, every double-page at the start of a juz with illuminated panels around the diagonal commentary, fully illuminated opening bifolium with sura al-fatiha, second bifolium beginning sura al-baqara with illuminated heading and border, the beginning of suras al-ma'idat (ff.194-5), al-shu'ara (ff.254-5), al-safan (ff.312-3), and al-nas (ff.431-2) with full illuminated margins, colphon signed Turreh Baz of Peshawar and dated 1231, following bifolium with prayers in illuminated margin, final bifolium with red, blue and black nasta'liq inscription in the name of Mir Qilij 'Ali Bayg, known as Shah Karam Khan, the ataliq of Turkistan?, together with the date 1232, very occasional slight restorations, fine Qajar lacquer binding in the style of Razi, slightly scuffed at edges
Folio 6¾ x 4in. (17 x 10.3cm.); text 4 3/8 x 2 3/8in. (10.8 x 6cm.)

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Lot Essay

The note at the end in red and blue nasta'liq says that it was completed as a gift to Mir Qilij 'Ali Bayg the ataliq of Turkistan, known as Shah Karam Khan. The scribe's name is Turreh Baz of Peshawar who spent "two years writing, painting [illuminating], and ruling the manuscript".There seems to be no record of this ataliq, but the title implies he was the governor of the province.

The manuscript carries three dates. The colophon has the date AH 1232/1816-17 AD; the preceding page has the earlier date 1231/1815-16, and a verse giving the abjad dating adds up to AH 1225/1810-11 AD.

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