Lot Essay
These folios come from a Qur'an, other leaves of which have appeared at auction in recent years. Its attribution to Spain is based on the use of paper. In North Africa, parchment remained the preferred material for the writing of Qur'ans into the 19th century. Spain, however, had been manufacturing and using high quality paper for manuscripts of all kinds for some time. The manuscript is notable for the use of pink paper and for the freely written manner in which the script is used with the terminals of the letters weeping over the page, in contrast to the very precise way in which the vocalisation and illumination is handled.
Other leaves from this manuscript have been offered in these Rooms, 1 May 2001, lot 2, 16 October 2001, lot 3, 10 October 2000, lot 2 and 8 April 2008, lot 17. Leaves also exist in various public and private collections. For example see Falk, T, Treasures of Islam, Geneva, London, 1985, p. 39).
Other leaves from this manuscript have been offered in these Rooms, 1 May 2001, lot 2, 16 October 2001, lot 3, 10 October 2000, lot 2 and 8 April 2008, lot 17. Leaves also exist in various public and private collections. For example see Falk, T, Treasures of Islam, Geneva, London, 1985, p. 39).