Prettily illuminated early Ottoman Qur'an

[Qur'an]. A large, early Ottoman or Pre-Ottoman (probably Qaramanid) Qur'an.

Turkey, ca. 1500 / 15th-16th century CE.

Folio (260 x 350 mm). Arabic manuscript on polished oriental paper. 520 ff. 9 lines of bold black Muhaqqaq-like script within gilt and blue-ruled borders. Surah headings in gilt thuluth script within gilt borders. Double-page opening bifolio with elaborate lapislazuli and gilt decorated borders, similar headpiece to verso of second leaf. Verses in clouds against a pink ground, gold verse markers pointed by blue and red dots, al-tajwid in red ink with occasional marginal notes in Turkish. Bound in slightly later full smooth auburn leather over wooden boards with prettily gilt fore-edge flap; a succession of gilt borders to both covers; central compartments decorated with a mesh of lozenges enclosing minute gilt flower-bud punches in the semé style.

 85,000.00

An early, very prettily illuminated Ottoman or Pre-Ottoman Qur'an in quite massive dimensions, measuring ca. 35 by 25 centimetres. Uncommonly, this manuscript contains an interlinear translation of the original Arabic text into Ottoman Turkish.

Some waterstaining throughout. Various edge flaws with occasional slight loss and old remarginings, more extensive near beginning and end. The colophon shows an illegible date, probably a later addition. Provenance: European private collection.

Stock Code: BN#60777 Tags: , ,