commissioned by Muhammad Quli-Khan.
Qajar Persia, dated 1265 AH (1848 AD).
A fine and beautifully illuminated manuscript of the collected Divan of Hafez Shirazi, one of the most decorated and celebrated poets of the Persian language. Although the commissioner of this manuscript is yet to be identified, Muhammad Quli Khan is very likely to have been a general or high ranking officer in the courts of Qajar Persia during the early reign of Naser Shah Qajar.
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 Iris flowers against a gold background, a very clean and fine example.
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 Iris flowers against a gold background, a very clean and fine example.
About us
Shapero Rare Books is an internationally renowned dealer in antiquarian & rare books and works on paper.
Our Bookshop and Gallery can be found in the heart of Mayfair at 106 New Bond Street, where most of our stock is available to view and on public display.
We exhibit at major international art fairs, including TEFAF (Maastricht and New York), Frieze Masters, Art Miami and Masterpiece London, as well as antiquarian & rare book fairs including New York, Paris, London, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Hong Kong.
