SIGNED KHALIL IBRAHIM YUNUS AL-SINI, GANSU, CHINA, DATED MUHARRAM AH 953/MARCH-APRIL 1546 AD

Details

QUR'AN
SIGNED KHALIL IBRAHIM YUNUS AL-SINI, GANSU, CHINA, DATED MUHARRAM AH 953/MARCH-APRIL 1546 AD
Arabic manuscript on paper, 242ff. plus four fly-leaves, each folio with 15ll. of black sini within text panels outlined in red, catchwords, red verse markers, sura headings in red, opening bifolio and the last three folios with gold and polychrome illuminated borders surrounding the text, colophon signed and dated, a Chinese seal at the end, occasional water staining, folios slightly trimmed, in associated stamped brown morocco, paper and textile covered doublures
Text panel 4½ x 2 5/8in. (11.5 x 6.7cm.); folio 6 7/8 x 4 1/8 in. (6.8 x 10.5cm.)

Engraved

The colophon page with a later collector's seal bearing the surname Ma.

Special notice

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Lot Essay

This elegantly illuminated Qur’an is testament to the influence that many Muslim administrators had following the reign of Emperor Zhengde (r. 1491-1521). It is very rare to find signed and dated Chinese Qur’ans. Another Chinese Qur’an closely related to this manuscript was sold in these Rooms, 8 October 2015, lot 28.

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