Page 24 - 2021 April 1, ART OF THE ISLAMIC AND Indian Worlds Including Oriental Rugs, Christie's London

A ROYAL AQQUYUNLU QUR’AN JUZ

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AN ILLUMINATED QUR'AN JUZ' (XIV)
COPIED BY ZAYN AL-'ABIDIN BIN MUHAMMAD AL-KATIB, AQQUYUNLU IRAN,
DATED AH 902/1497-98 AD
Arabic manuscript on paper, Qur'an XV, sura al-hijr- Qur'an XVI, sura al-nahl, 35ff., plus two flyleaves, each
folio with 7ll., the first, fourth and seventh lines in gold muhaqqaq, the remaining lines in black naskh, within
gold and blue rules, gold and polychrome roundel verse markers, a sura heading in gold muhaqqaq in a
panel illuminated with gold floral vine, gold and blue marginal medallions marking khams and 'ashr, the
opening bifolio illuminated in gold and polychrome framing 3ll. of text including a sura heading in blue in
a cloud reserved against a pink hatched ground, colophon signed and dated in clouds surrounded by gold
floral vine, flyleaves with later owners' notes, in 19th century Kashmiri binding with scrolling chainwork,
areas of water staining to margins, overall good condition
Text panel 7 x 4æin. (18 x 12.1cm.); folio 11¿ x 7¡in. (28.2 x 18.8cm.)
£40,000-60,000 US$57,000-85,000
€47,000-70,000
This Qur’an juz’ is in the hand of the master scribe, Zayn al-‘Abidin bin Muhammad al-Katib al-Shirazi.
It bears close resemblance to another Qur’an, also copied in thirty separately bound juz’ by the same
scribe that was written for the Aqquyunlu ruler Ya’qub Beg (r.1478-90) in AH 888/1483-4 AD. It was
copied in the capital Tabriz where a distinguished tradition of literary and cultural patronage was
established. Juz’ from that Qur’an are heavily published and have appeared at auction, including a recent
example sold in these Rooms 28 October 2020, lot 27, and another at Sotheby’s, 23 October 2019, lots
10 (which had a partly legible dedication to the Aqquyunlu ruler) and 121.

22 In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes and/or an Artist Resale Royalty
fee are also payable if the lot has a tax or λ symbol. Check Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue.