Near East & Islamic

Single volume, illuminated manuscript on polished paper, in Farsi, complete, 268 pp plus two contemporary endleaves, 290 x 190 mm; single and double column, 14 lines bold black nasta'liq, key words in red, text panels within gold and blue rules, black and gold outer marginal rules, catchwords, opening bifolio with gold and polychrome illuminated headpiece and text in clouds against a gold ground, within gold and polychrome rules and gold and polychrome illuminated floral margins, a further two similarly illuminated bifolios, later ownership inscription to opening folio, Persian export stamps to endpapers; housed in a fine contemporary lacquerer binding, the outer covers with gol-o-bolbol surrounded by red cartouches containing poetic couplets in nasta'liq, doubleurs painted with narcissus flowers against a gold background, a very clean and fine example.

Single volume, comprising the Divan of Hafiz and the Bustan and Ghazzaliyaat of Sa'di (main body of the text of this manuscript is the Divan of Hafez and the Bustan of Sa'di, followed by his ghazaliyyat, fills the margins), illuminated manuscript on paper, in farsi, 179 leaves plus 3 endleaves (two leaves in main body of text in skilfully executed later manuscript facsimile), textually complete, 180 by 125 mm; double column with additional text extending outwardly in the marigns, 24 lines elegant black nasta'liq, often interspersed with triangular panels of floral illumination, fine illuminated head-piece opening the text in the Timurid style of illumination, columns ruled in gold and black, catch-words throughout, later inscriptions to endleaves, some minor paper repairs and a few scattered smudges to ink, overall very attractive condition; late eighteenth-century Ottoman burgundy morocco with flap, central medallions and corner pieces or tan stamped leather coloured in gold, ruled in gilt, some additional blind-stamped tooling details, edges painted, extremities a little rubbed.

Single volume, illuminated manuscript on paper, in Arabic, 338 leaves plus an additional free endpaper at each end, 140 x 95 mm; single column, 12 lines scribal black naskh, surah headings in red throughout, double-page decorated borders to opening two, central two and final two leaves of text executed in the typical Kashmiri style of illustration, with gilt borders and blue strokes extending outwardly from the text, verses marked with precise gilt roundels outlined in black, catch-words, some light browning and occasional finger soiling; modern blue cloth, gilt morocco label to spine.

Single volume, illuminated manuscript on polished paper, in Arabic, 198 leaves, complete, 105 by 65 mm; single column, 21 lines elegant black naskh per page, surah headings in ref thuluth against gilt banners throughout, opening two leaves with elaborately decorated gilt head-pieces and further gilt polychrome additions to the outer borders, fihrist at the front of the Qur'an and closing prayers at the end copied in blue and red within arabesque shapes set against decorative floral backgrounds, catch-words, a few small stains and light finger-soiling, overall very bright and attractive condition; contemporary lacquered boards, framed within gilt borders (later gilding), edges painted with floral motifs in gilt, rebacked, a handsome copy.

Single volume, illuminated manuscript on paper with fine marbled paper borders, in Farsi, 119 leaves, complete, 336 x 230 mm; single column, 11 lines to the page written in neat nasta'liq script in black ink, occasional headings and significant words in blue, inner margins ruled in gold and blue, outer borders throughout decorated with fine marbling, one illuminated opening headpiece, one further illuminated heading; contemporary burgundy leather binding, blind-stamped with corner pieces to covers, a very handsome volume.

First edition, 2 volumes, 8vo, pp. xl, 323; [iv], 9, 289, text to second volume in Farsi, first volume with blind stamp of Wigan Public Library, internally very clean and crisp; modern half calf, gilt spines and marbled edges. an attractive set.

Single leaf, ink and gouache with watercolour additions, on thick buff paper, 315 by 390 mm; aerial view of the Holy Ka'aba in Mecca with surrounding town and hills in the distance, image framed within a black ruling, lightly browned, a few light scuffs, reverse blank.

Single volume, illuminated manuscript on fibrous polished buff paper, in Farsi, textually complete (lacking 4 leaves at the end of Book 6 that are replaced in eighteenth and nineteenth century manuscript facsimile, 337 leaves plus 4 leaves text, 245 by 170 mm; four columns, 21 lines early nasta'liq script in black, headings in red throughout, 6 gold and lapis illuminated headings in the Timurid style, each opening one of the 6 books of the Mathnavi, contemporary catch-words throughout, columns ruled in blue, some very slight water-staining to margins and a few scattered smudges to text, overall attractive condition; early sixteenth-century stamped leather binding with flap, with cut-out cartouches to leather decorated by corner-pieces and central medallions with foliate designs and coloured in gold, spine and flap hinge rebacked and repaired, an attractive early binding.

Single volume, illuminated manuscript on fine polished paper, in Farsi, 121 leaves, 250 by 165 mm; double column, 15 lines fine black nasta'liq script, headings in gold or blue throughout, illuminated polychrome headpiece opening the text, richly decorated in gold and lapis, with 7 additional illuminated banners in the text (each of these opening the ghazals of a new poet), remains of silk markers to outer edges of each section, catch-words throughout, leaves ruled in gilt, orange and blue throughout, a few small smudges, outer margin of first leaf repaired (not affecting text), overall very bright and attractive condition internally; housed in a fine contemporary hand-painted black leather binding with flap, painted in gilt with spiralling floral motif, with sunken central medallions and corner-pieces decorated with gilt filigree details, ruled in gilt, with very fine tan leather doubleurs, central medallions and corner-pieces with delicate incised leather filigree work over navy and green silk backdrops, spine and flap rebacked and edges repaired, overall fine and very attractive binding.

New Edition (fourth thus), 2 volumes, 8vo, vol. 1: xii, [2], 248pp., 266pp., [14 (table of contents)] ; vol. 2: [8], 519pp, [13]; large folding map and 3 engraved plates (2 of these folding), ink inscriptions to front free endpapers else clean and bright internally, small tear with loss to outer margin of p.99 (H2) in vol. 1 (not affecting text); fine contemporary tree calf, red morocco labels to spines, lettered in gilt, head of volume 1 lightly rubbed, a very handsome set.