Lot Essay
Mirza Muhammad Mahdi Khan was Chief Secretary, Historian and Biographer to Nadir Shah Afshar (1698-1747). The renowned Durrah Nadira was translated into French as early as 1770.
.jpg?w=1)
QAJAR IRAN, DATED 14 RABI' II AH 1311/5 NOVEMBER 1893 AD
Details
MIRZA MUHAMMAD MAHDI KHAN ASTARABADI (D. 1760 AD): A HISTORY OF NADIR SHAH (DURRAH NADIRA)
QAJAR IRAN, DATED 14 RABI' II AH 1311/5 NOVEMBER 1893 AD
Persian manuscript on paper, 189ff. plus 6 fly-leaves, each folio with 15ll. of black nasta'liq script, some phrases in naskh script, titles in red, text within polychrome rules, catchwords, opening folio with illuminated headpiece, colophon signed Amir Aslan Yuri, with H. Kevorkian Collection labels (666/1265) and hand written notes, in plain brown morocco binding; together with an unbound manuscript in Arabic, probably also a history of Nadir Shah, 108ff., each with 17ll. of black nasta'liq script, sentences overlined in red, titles in red, possibly signed Mirza sayyid Ja'far Abu al-Qasim al-Isfahani dated AH 1250, with H. Kevorkian Collection label (1276)
Folio 10 x 6 ¼in. (25.4 x 16cm.); and 11 ¾ x 8in. (30 x 20.4cm.)
QAJAR IRAN, DATED 14 RABI' II AH 1311/5 NOVEMBER 1893 AD
Persian manuscript on paper, 189ff. plus 6 fly-leaves, each folio with 15ll. of black nasta'liq script, some phrases in naskh script, titles in red, text within polychrome rules, catchwords, opening folio with illuminated headpiece, colophon signed Amir Aslan Yuri, with H. Kevorkian Collection labels (666/1265) and hand written notes, in plain brown morocco binding; together with an unbound manuscript in Arabic, probably also a history of Nadir Shah, 108ff., each with 17ll. of black nasta'liq script, sentences overlined in red, titles in red, possibly signed Mirza sayyid Ja'far Abu al-Qasim al-Isfahani dated AH 1250, with H. Kevorkian Collection label (1276)
Folio 10 x 6 ¼in. (25.4 x 16cm.); and 11 ¾ x 8in. (30 x 20.4cm.)
Provenance
Durrah Nadira: The Hagop Kevorkian Collection (666/1265); acquired Christie's 22 November 1984, lot 88
Unbound manuscript: The Hagop Kevorkian Collection; acquired Sotheby's, London, 26 April 1982, lot 132
Unbound manuscript: The Hagop Kevorkian Collection; acquired Sotheby's, London, 26 April 1982, lot 132
Special notice
No VAT on hammer price or buyer's premium.