Rare example of early scribal freehand. A strikingly rare example of scribal freehand from the Abbasid period that is known for producing Qur'ans in a highly regular and formal manner. Scribes from this period are very likely to have copied the Qur'an from memory and this folio demonstrates a moment in time when the scribe gently ventured into a broad free-hand during the copying process onto vellum which evidently lacked any preparatory rulings, resulting in a strong and beautiful kufic calligraphy that stands apart from all the other examples of it's kind.

The style of script is most comparable to the Déroche classification of the 'D' group, being the most varied group of the early Abbasid scripts, which is distinctive for it's use of thick lines and vertical stroked that are always perpendicular to the base. This leaf is likely to have been part of the same parent manuscript as the famous MS. 322 in the Institute of Oriental Studies Lenningrad, according to Déroche (see The Abbasid Tradition, London, 1992, p. 126, no. 69 for more information).

Single folio, fine decorated manuscript on parchment, in Arabic, containing the text for surah Taha (part of verse 34 to beginning of 39), 277 x 290 mm; single column, 7 lines bold scribal stylised kufic script in dark sepia, vocalisation in the form of red dots and verses marked with green dots, some very light age-toning to parchment else very bright and attractive condition; framed and glazed. 277 x 290mm (11 x 11½ inches).