A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD

A MAMLUK QURAN (THE BAHRI DYNASTY) ATTRIBUTED TO SANDAL (ABU BAKR) SCHOOL OR STYLE, 1250-1382 AD

Reference: ART3002563

Arabic manuscript on cream paper, 292 folios, each folio with 13 lines of elegant large naskh, illuminated golden florets with blue centred between verses outlined in black, diacritics in black, surah headings written in white Kufic script within gilt panels decorated with gilt scrolls on a striking blue ground. Two opening bifolia and two at the end with verses reserved in clouds amongst foliage scrolls with gold and striking blue decoration. Occasional marginal gilt decorated roundels and cartouches on blue and red background, indicating ‘Ashur’, ‘Khumus’ (both marked by gold foliate roundels outlined in blue within the text) or ‘Rub Hizb’ (marked by pear-shaped florets emanating fronds), in Thulth script. The first opening of this Quran manuscript contains all that remains of the carpet page. As in most Mamluk Qurans, the frame of the first two illuminated frontispiece composed of interlocking geometric motifs enclosed within strap-work borders text pages are divided into three sections, the middle section containing the text within a flowing, cloud-like motif against a background of scrolls, text above and below in large white ornamental Eastern Kufic script. The general effect of the carpet page design is that of a rich tapestry, based on a 10-angled, star-shaped medallion with gold and white outlines extending to form a trellis of overlapping polygons, which alternate in gold and blue. Some pages not from the period of the Quran written later (16th century) coherent from the lines with it in three places and replacing them with paper from that period, which are: The first position: from verse (2) from surah Al-An’am until verse (109) one paper. The second position: From the beginning of surah Yunus until verse (14) one paper. The third position: from verse (45) from surah Al-Nahl until verse (67) of surah Al-Israa (9) papers. It is also noted that there is restoration around the edges of some leaves due to their damage, In later brown morocco with flap and stamped central medallion cover. There is possession of its owner Ali Sbeki or Subki on the side of the last folios of the Quran. 36 by 25 cm.

CATALOGUE NOTE In general, the decoration of this Noble Quran is strong, rare and unique, which is not seen except rarely, in Mamluk style and decoration, with golden shapes, delicate geometric patterns and star dishes. And Quranic writings and verses in Kufic script, which is distinguished by the soft and delicate style of Kufic script flowing in square or rectangular shapes with horizontal extensions, which is the basic style of the line and the dominant form of writing Qurans in the first Islamic era. As for the oval shapes except round or rectangular ones on the edges of this Quran as verses separators. Or quarters or parts, it is one of the miracles of Islamic art in the flexibility of the Arabic script, and the Kufic script has a geometric style distinct from all similar and similar shapes in the Qurans of that era. It has no parallel, even if there is a near-geometrical style in the Quran of Sultan Baybars, but it is not completely identical, and it is a unique distinction of the style of the doctrine. This gives us an indication that who decorated this Quran, starting from the protocols and other forms, participated in the Quran of Sultan Baybars as it was written by three calligraphers: (1) Abu Bakr (Sandal) as head (2) and Muhammad Mubader) 3) Aidaghdi ibn Abdullah al-Badri. For this reason, the gilding of this Quran is the same method established in David James’s book in his book The Mamluk Quran as on pages 55, 56, 57 and 58 attributed to its gilding by the doctrine and calligrapher Abu Bakr known as ‘Sandal’ is almost identical that he was not (a real sandal), but we are not 100% certain, because we do not have his signature on this Quran offered in this auction. But by comparison, it is a great match. The balconies in Sultan Baybars’s Quran of parts (6) preserved in the British Library under No. 22406_12 correspond to pages 56 and 57 in David James’s book attributed to Abu Bakr (Sandal) with the style and pattern of the balconies in our Quran.