SIGNED ZAYN AL-'ABIDIN, QAJAR IRAN, DATED AH 1231/1815-6 AD

Details

A MINIATURE QUR'AN
SIGNED ZAYN AL-'ABIDIN, QAJAR IRAN, DATED AH 1231⁄1815-6 AD
Arabic manuscript on paper, 256ff. plus three fly-leaves, each folio with 19ll. of black ghubari, sura headings in gold thuluth reserved against blue or red field illuminated panels, gold roundel verse markers, the text within gold and black rules with a pendant medallion in the corners containing the name of the sura, illuminated marginal medallions in gold thuluth marking divisions, catchwords, opening bifolium with prayers in gold thuluth reserved against blue cusped medallion against gold floral ground, second bifolio with 6ll. of black ghubari gold and polychrome illuminated borders, closing bifolium similar to opening one, with two du'as and signed and dated colophon, in contemporaneous Qajar lacquer binding
Text panel 2 7⁄8 x 1 ½in. (7.2 x 3.6cm.); folio 3 ½ x 2 1⁄8in. (9 x 5.4cm.)

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Lot Essay

According to the colophon, this manuscript was prepared for a certain Murtaza Agha Mirza Muhammad. The scribe, Zayn al-'Abidin, is well known and served as a secretary to Fath 'Ali Shah. His name appears He seems to have specialised in ghubari script, and the Aga Khan collection keeps a Qur'an in his fine microcalligraphy (The Path of Princes: Masterpieces from the Aga Khan Museum Collection, Lison, 1998, p.58, cat.no.9) as well as a Qur'an scroll bearing his signature (Spirit and Life: Masterpieces of Islamic Art from the Aga Khan Museum Collection, London, 2007, p.39, cat.no.11). A further Qur'an scroll by Zayn al-'Abidin sold in these Rooms, 7 April 2011, lot 178, as well as a lacquer pen case, 25 April 2013, lot 133. For further information please also see Mehdi Bayani, Ahval va Asar-e Khosh-Nevisan, Vol.II, Tehran, 1345 AH, pp.1076-77.

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