QUR'AN.

£59,000 · Offered by Sokol Books

An exquisitely decorated ms Qur‚Äôan produced in the second to third quarter of the C17, likely in Istanbul. The initial charming illumination, as well as the decorated prostration signs, are reminiscent of floral designs used in Istanbul, at the Imperial Palace school: e.g., by an unknown illuminator of Suleyman Efendi Üsk√ºd√¢r√Æ (Derman, ‚ÄòNinety-Nine‚Äô, n.32, 1673), and by H√¢fiz Osman‚Äôs (1642-98) illuminators Kubur Hasan √áelebi (Derman, ‚ÄòNinety-Nine‚Äô, n.39, 1682) and Hasan bin Mustafa (Derman, ‚ÄòLetters of Gold‚Äô, n.15, 1682, and n.16, 1684). ‚ÄòBefore printing [‚Ķ], [in Ottoman Turkey] there existed a class of scribes who earned their living by making copies of the Qur‚Äôan [‚Ķ]. People relied on manuscripts [for personal devotion], acquiring copies by illustrious calligraphers or minor scribes, depending on their means‚Äô (Derman, ‚ÄòNinety-Nine‚Äô, p.16). Especially under Mehmed IV (1648-87), many of the great calligraphers worked for the Imperial administration, with ‚Äòthe important manuscripts kept there [being] used as models by calligraphers‚Äô (Bayani, p.80), and they trained dozens of pupils who continued the tradition. Our anonymous scribe may not have been a native speaker of Arabic, and was likely a student of calligraphy or a non-professional calligrapher working in the Imperial administration, as shown by the odd incorrect letter (e.g., an initial letter written in the medial form after an ‚Äòalif‚Äô), the handful of incorrect surah titles whe

• Binding: Hardcover

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.