An illuminated Qur'an
Qajar Persia, the illumination dated AH 1205/AD 1790, the marginal commentaries AH 1204/AD 1789
Arabic manuscript on paper, 257 leaves, 17 lines to the page written in neat naskhi script in black ink with diacritics and vowel points in black and red within gilt cloudbands, verses marked with a gold quatrefoil, inner margins ruled in gold, blue and red, illuminated marginal devices marking the fifth and tenth verses, cartouches containing commentaries in shikasteh, sura headings in naskhi script in gold on a blue ground within illuminated panels, one illuminated double-page frontispiece in colours and gold, final leaf with date of AH 1205 in gold (implying it was written by the illuminator), and smaller date of AH 1204 in black ink alongside shikasteh commentary, floral lacquer binding, spine rebacked, doublures of gilt paper onlay
240 x 145 mm.
