Leaf from a fine Abbasid Qur'an,

from an elegant Abbasid Qur'an

The calligraphic style and format of the present leaf strongly indicate that it was produced in the 9th century during the Abbasid period, with similar characteristics to Kufic Qur'ans found in Cairo and Damascus. The present style of Kufic script is most comparable to the Déroche D.IV with the strongly curved and independent nin and thick trumpet-like flourishes to the ends of the letters nun, waw and lam. For more on information see Déroche, The Abbasid Tradition (London, 1992, pp. 36-37).

Single leaf, illuminated manuscript on parchment, in Arabic, containing the text from Surah al-A'raf 7:16 - 7:27, size: 250 x 330mm approx (9¾ x 13 inches); single column, 14 lines black Kufic script per page, vocalisation in the form of red dots, individual verse divisions marked by three red dots in a triangular formation, fifth verse divisions marked with gold ha-shaped device, tenth division verse divisions marked with gold rosettes pointed in green and black, some restoration to the very outer edges of the parchment (not affecting text), very light surface soiling and light rubbing, overall an attractive leaf.