ANTIQUITIES AND ISLAMIC ART SALE
Lot 113:
Description
This exceptional Ottoman Quran is a magnificent example of 19th-century Islamic manuscript production, dated 1279 Hijri (1862 AD) and signed by the accomplished scribe Adham Ibrahim AlSury. A manuscript of both devotional and artistic significance, it showcases the height of Ottoman calligraphic and illuminative traditions.
The opening bifolio is lavishly illuminated with vibrant arabesque and floral motifs in gold, lapis, and turquoise hues, setting a regal tone for the manuscript. Throughout the Quran, finely executed gold verse separators, elegant rubrication, and meticulously spaced text in black naskh script reflect both aesthetic beauty and precise scholarship.
Several folios are enhanced with gilded surah headings and decorative panels, while the final pages exhibit classic Ottoman marginal layout with geometric and vegetal ornamentation, denoting a high-quality commission likely intended for an elite patron or institutional use.
The manuscript is preserved in its original Ottoman leather binding with a fore-edge flap, and inner boards lined in hand-colored green paper, typical of mid-19th century Ottoman craftsmanship. The pages show signs of age and devotional use, consistent with manuscripts of this type, but the artwork and text remain exceptionally well-preserved.
21.5 x 15cm
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