SIGNED HAFIZ IBRAHIM AL-KARAHISARI, OTTOMAN TURKEY, DATED AH 1227/1812-13 AD

Beyond a laqab which suggests he came from the West Anatolian town of Karahisar, nothing is known about the scribe of this Qur'an from the published sources. The colophon of this manuscript, however, states that he learnt under Mahmud Celaluddin Effendi (d. AH 1245/1829 AD). Born in the Caucasus, Celaluddin became a prominent calligrapher in Istanbul in the early 19th century. He briefly enjoyed royal favour, completing an inscription for the tomb of Mihrishah, the mother of Selim III. Samples of his calligraphy on paper are in the Topkapi Palace Musuem (EH 273 and GY 322-9) and published as part of the Sakip Sabanci Collection (M. Ugue Derman, Letters in Gold: Ottoman Calligraphy from the Sakip Sabanci Collection, Istanbul, New York, 1998, pp.108-11). His students also enjoyed success in their own right: Mehmed Tahir Efendi would instruct Sultan Abdulmecid in the arts of calligraphy, while another student - Esma Ibret Hanim - was the most successful female calligrapher of her day.