The Bookshop

Stud bound, in burgundy boards, Bawden design on cream paper to both boards printed in black. Full page illustrated title page by Bawden, vignettes and borders throughout. A very good copy.

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.

First edition, 3 works in one vol., 8vo; woodcut printer's device to titles, woodcut head-pieces and decorative initials, each work with errata at end, some browning mostly confined to margins, occasional spotting, bookplate and ownership markings to front pastedown, old ink initials to first title; 18th century calf, edge wear, spine rubbed, upper cover detached; collates as complete.

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.

8vo, 89 pp., various blank leaves, 12 pp notes at end, contemporary sheep, worn, joints weak.

Tenth edition; 8vo; 3 folding engraved plates, two with offsetting from folding, a few recent and older marginal repairs, numerous old pencil annotations. Rebound in twentieth century half black calf, marbled paper boards. Contents a little marked and toned, spine slightly faded, a very nice copy.

First London edition; 8vo; 8 lithographed plates, some foxing and oxidising, armorial bookplate to front pastedown; contemporary half calf, rebacked preserving contemporary spine, edge wear.

8vo., xxiii, 416pp., engraved portrait frontispiece and seven engraved plates by Bertall, illustrated title-page vignette, numerous wood-engravings in the text, occasional light foxing throughout. Fine French-style calf, spine richly gilt with label, a.e.g.