Islam

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.

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.

Single volume, illuminated manuscript on polished paper, in Arabic, complete, 191 leaves plus 3 endpapers (two at front and one at the back), 98 by 60 mm; 21 lines fine and refined naskh script copied in miniature format, in black, two opening leaves of prayers copied in central lobed panels, in red, plus an additional set at the end of the volume, opening two facing pages of the Qur'an with exquisitely fine gilt polychrome decorations to borders, interlinear colouring of gold to every leaf of text, catch-words throughout, very clean and crisp condition; housed in fine contemporary gilt lacquered boards, with decorative floral compositions to covers set against a red background and framed within a gold foliate border, a very fine manuscript.

Single volume, illuminated manuscript on paper, in Arabic, complete, 318 leaves plus two later free endpapers, 120 x 80 mm; single column, 14 lines scribal black naskh per page, surah headings in red throughout, first three leaves with interlinear translations to Farsi in red nasta'liq (interlinear spacing continues through the volume, remaining translation never completed), opening two leaves with elaborately decorated gilt and polychrome decorations, these comprising spiralling vines adorned with pink, red, blue and white flowers, leaves throughout double-ruled in gold and black, catch-words throughout, final two leaves with additional gilt polychrome decorations to borders, some small stains and ink smudges, overall attractive condition; hosed in contemporary Kashmiri papier-mâché lacquered boards, outer covers with floral decorations ruled in gilt, inner covers of gold spiralling vines against a striking black background, rubbed and skilfully rebacked.

First edition, 4to, engraved pictorial title (laid down), [38], 351, 24, [24] pp., engraved portrait of Mohammed in text, contemporary mottled calf, spine gilt in compartments, 2 cm. worm track to first 40 pages, mainly marginal but occasionally touching text.

Single volume, illuminated manuscript on polished paper, in Arabic with some interlinear translations to Farsi, complete, 116 leaves, collation: i1 (single font free endpaper), ii-xiv8, iv6 (last 5 leaves blank), 190 by 125 mm; single column, 7 lines fine scribal black naskh, with some interlinear translations in red nasta'liq, one large illuminated polychrome head-piece and a further 14 illuminated banners opening sections of the text, each with heading in gold thuluth against decorated foliate designed very skillfully executed, some minor water-staining to top edges (causing slight loss to margins of first to leaves) not affecting text, text slightly faded in places, else bright and attractive condition; housed in fine contemporary lacquered boards painted with floral designs within ornamental medallions (in the manner of Islamic bindings), with gold additions to outer covers, inner covers painted with narcissus flower designs of a very high quality, boards backed in leather, spine and extremities slightly rubbed, a few scratches to lacquer, overall very attractive binding.

Oil on board, c. 460 by 590 mm, depicting pilgrims in Mecca gathering for pilgrimage around the Holy Ka'aba; some pigments crackled, the sky and tops of the buildings in the background repainted with some additional retouching to foreground and central buildings, overall bright and attractive example; housed in a modern wooden frame, early 20th-century label to the back with manuscript description of the illustration in English.

Five volumes, each containing one Juz' of the Qur'an, illuminated manuscripts on thick polished buff paper, in Arabic, containing Juz' VI (An-Nisa 4:148 to Al-Maidah 5:82), Juz' VIII (Al-An'am 6:111 to Al-Araf 7:170), Juz' XI (At-Towbah 9:94 to Hud 11:5), Juz' XVII (Al-Anbiya 21:1 to Al-Hajj 22:78) and Juz' XXX (An-Naba 78:1 to An-Nas 114:6), each Juz' 16-19 leaves (together 84 leaves, plus some contemporary free endleaves to a couple volumes) and all textually complete in themselves, 265 by 170 mm; single column, 11 lines bold black naskh script with diacritics, some vocalisation in red, surah headings throughout in red thuluth script, large polychrome head-pieces (unwan) opening each of the Juz', these executed to a very high standard by a fine hand and illuminated in gold, leaves ruled in blue and gold throughout, contemporary catch-words, some smudges and light staining, a few sections cockled from damp; housed in uniform contemporary Qajar lacquered boards, inside covers painted and ruled in red, outer covers a dark tan with gilt floral pattern to frame outer edges, all rebacked, a little worn in places.

Concertina-style miniature prayerbook, illuminated manuscript in Arabic, complete, 16 conjoined leaves, 48 by 48 mm; numerous illustrations including images of the holy sites of Mecca and Medina, attributions to Prophet Muhammad through depictions of his hand prints, foot prints, and his Seal of Prophecy, with further illustrations pertaining to the other prophets such as the sword of 'Ali, all heightened in gilt, versos and outer boards backed in contemporary marbled paper.