COPIED BY HAJI JA'FAR AL-QAZWINI, QAJAR IRAN, DATED JUMADA I AH 1235/FEBRUARY-MARCH 1820 AD

Details

QUR'AN
COPIED BY HAJI JA'FAR AL-QAZWINI, QAJAR IRAN, DATED JUMADA I AH 1235/FEBRUARY-MARCH 1820 AD
Arabic manuscript on paper, 312ff. plus two flyleaves, each folio with 14ll. of black naskh with red nasta'liq interlinear translation, gold and polychrome rosette verse markers, sura headings in gold thuluth reserved against cobalt blue cartouches illuminated with gold swirling vine on illuminated panels, the plain margins with occasional black nasta'liq commentary in clouds reserved against gold, illuminated medallions to mark juz', the suras written in red thuluth in the upper corner of each folio, within thin gold outer rules, catchwords, the opening bifolio with 10ll. of prayers set within gold illuminated margins, the following bifolio similar with unusual calligram on f.2v in the shape of a flower with a drawing of the Prophet mounted on Buraq at the centre, the following bifolio with 7ll. black naskh set within gold and polychrome illuminated and pricked margins, the final bifolio with gold and polychrome illuminated margins, the colophon signed and dated 'copied by Haji Ja'far al-Qazwini in Jumada I 1235 for the merchant Haji Muhammad Husayn', in gilt lacquer binding signed 'Haji Ja'far' and dated AH 1237 / 1821-2 within a border of white thuluth inscriptions of Prophetic hadith in cartouches, the doublures plain, overall very good condition
Text panel 7 5/8 x 4 ¼in. (19.5 x 10.8cm.); folio 10 ¾ x 7in. (27.3 x 17.9cm.)

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Lot Essay

A notable feature of the present Qur'an is the inclusion of a painting of Muhammad's heavenly journey (mi'raj) within a central medallion on the opening folio. It is surrounded by a large calligraphic floral composition comprising of a repetition of Qur'an LXVIII, sura al-qalam ('Chapter of the Pen'), v. 51. While Haji Ja'far al-Qazwini is not otherwise attested, his fine naskh penned throughout the present manuscript is continued on the lacquered binding.

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