Near East & Islamic

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.

Single volume, decorated manuscript on western imported paper, from a mixed stock including the watermark of a crescent moon in a shield and the letters 'EIV', in Arabic, complete, 124 leaves, 255 by 180 mm; single column, 16 lines informal cursive script in black with headings and important words in red, catch-words throughout, numerous contemporary and later marginal inscriptions, some light staining (as often), some gatherings becoming loose; contemporary provincial binding of strips of leather over wooden boards with flap, worn with sections of leather missing.

Illuminated manuscript on paper, in Arabic, containing the first 7 aya of the first surah of the Qur'an (al-Fatihah 1:1 - 1:7), 490 by 380 mm.; single column, 5 lines large scribal nasta'liq diagonally inscribed, outlined in cloud shapes and set against an elaborately illuminated gold background decorated with intricately illustrated spiralling floral patterns with polychrome colour additions, lower right-hand corner containing the scribe's name and date of completion, panel framed within multiple polychrome and gilt rulings, including a banner formed of multiple gold cartouches in Safavid style of illumination; very clean and bright condition; leaf mounted to thick card.

Illuminated manuscript, in Arabic, on paper, 142 leaves (plus 5 contemporary leaves at the front and an additional 3 at the end of the volume) containing the forty poems preceded by two additional du'a and also including a contemporary fihrist at the end of the volume, 260 by 165 mm.; in two or four columns, 12 lines confident scribal and angular black naskh, most leaves with contemporary catch-words, contemporary foliation (corresponding to the fihrist) in red, 48 illuminated polychrome headings and decorated banners to open each of the sections, most of these heightened in gilt or silver, ruling throughout in gilt, some contemporary marginalia and corrections, preliminary and penultimate leaves with contemporary annotations and export stamps from Iran dated 1311 AS; some faint scattered stains, occasional chips or creases to outer edges of leaves, a few early paper repairs to outer edges (not affecting main body of text), overall very bright and attractive condition; housed in fine leather-backed lacquered boards, cut-out medallions with filigree details to covers deep-set with red and gold floral devices set against a striking black background accented by gilt corner pieces and a double-ruled border, outer corners and extremities slightly chipped with fractional loss to pigment, small tear to leather along spine.

First edition in English translation, 4to, [6], iii-ix, [3], 187, [1], 508, [16] pp., title in red and black, folding engraved map of Arabia and plate & plan of Mecca, 3 engraved genealogical tables (2 folding), signature cut away from head of title, neat repair to closed tear on map, slight worming developing to a 3cm track affecting text; contemporary speckled tan panelled calf, a little rubbed, rebacked with spine gilt in compartments within raised bands, a good copy.

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.

Single volume, second volume only of the text, decorated manuscript in Arabic, complete in alternating quires of 8 and 12 leaves with a bifolium at the end to complete the text, 162 leaves (plus one contemporary and 3 later endleaves), 218 by 118 mm; single column of 11-12 lines in sepia naskh hand of the author al-Sharif al-Radi himself, title on recto of first leaf, colophon at end of text in same hand, on distinctively Persian dark-cream paper, most leaves with mould markings (of 7-8 laid reed lines per centimetre, and with no chain lines apparent), final free endpaper with numerous ownership inscriptions (pre-fourteenth century), occasional marginal commentary (also pre-fourteenth century), some early damp-staining and mottling to leaves to entirety of volume affecting upper and outer corners, a few repairs to preliminary leaves including a closed tear to first leaf, strip of modern paper pasted along length of pastedown (probably from modern description once pasted there and subsequently removed), later endpapers and doublures inserted; fourteenth-century leather boards, stamped in blind and ruled with geometric patterns, skilfully rebacked, resewn and edges repaired, very presentable and attractive condition.

Single volume, decorated manuscript on paper, in Arabic, 650 leaves, first 8 leaves in later manuscript facsimile (of the same style as the rest of the manuscript) else apparently textually complete, 300 x 195 mm; single column, 13 lines bold bihari script, top, middle and bottom lines in red, remaining lines of text in black throughout, 'Allah' copied in red throughout, Surah openings marked with banners formed of geometric rectangles often in red and green with gilt decorations, marginal ornamentation marking important divisions of the Qur'an, these mostly in circular or arabesque shapes in lilac, green, turquoise and red, with gilt additions, catch-words, damp-staining to upper and lower edges of text-block, some early and crude marginal repairs (rarely affecting text); housed in early decorated leather boards, decorative borders stamped in blind to covers, worm-holes (repaired), rubbed, edges repaired and rebacked.

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.