Lot 137 A SAFAVID QURAN WITH PERSIAN TRANSLATIONS MOST PROBABLY BY AQA HADI IBN MULLA MUHAMMAD SALIH MAZANDARANI, COPIED BY MUHTASHAM AL-ISFAHANI, THE ROYAL SCRIBE ( KATIB AL-SULTANI ), PERSIA, EARLY 18TH CENTURY
Arabic and Persian manuscript on burnished cream paper, comprising 474 folios, each page containing 12 lines. The text is written in black Naskh script, alternating with a red Persian interlinear translation in Nasta'liq script. The manuscript is ruled in gold with polychrome borders, featuring gold roundel verse markers accented by polychrome dots. Sura headings appear in blue Thuluth script on a sprinkled gold ground, enclosed within illuminated cartouches. Occasional marginal markers for ḥizb, sajda, nisf juz', and juz' are also presented within illuminated cartouches. The manuscript includes catchwords and extensive marginal annotations with commentaries attributed to Shi’a Imams, elegantly inscribed in red and black Nasta'liq script on selected folios throughout.
A double illuminated frontispiece presents Sura al-Fatiha, preceded by a similarly illuminated bifolio containing Sura al-Baqara. Two colophons are located on folios 4v and 474r. The illuminated finispiece on folio 474v bears the seal impression of Shah Sultan Husayn, dated AH 1125. Later owner seal impressions are also present.
The manuscript is bound in gilt-stamped brown morocco, featuring a central medallion and spandrels, with light brown morocco doublures decorated with decoupé floral designs on blue and pink grounds.
Text panel dimensions: 16.2 by 8.7 cm.
Folio dimensions: 24.2 by 15 cm.
Provenance:
Library of the Safavid Shah Sultan Husayn (1694–1722)
Library of the Qajar prince Abbas Mirza (d. 1833)