This brilliantly rare illuminated manuscript leaf is from a remainder volume of the Al-Kamilat Al-Sajjadiyah, Prayers, composed by Zayn Al-Abidin'Ali ibn al Husayn, only some 70 years after the death of the holy Prophet Mohammed. It was written during the period of Shiite Muslim consolidation in Persia under the reign of Abdalmalik who first enforced the use of Arabic as the official language of Persia. There are eight lines of script in elegant Arabic Naskhi, with Persian interlinear translation. The manuscript was dated "AD Huharran 1101/AD1689" Safavid Persia. Pure gold paint is used in the beautiful, meandering, floral pattern, which frames the words and also the many pious comments in the margins. Framed. #33590. Fine. More

circa 1830. This leaf is from an Indian Kashmiri Koran, on paper, scribed circa 1830, and measures 233 x 144 mm. The simple, but dignified, strong format of thirteen lines of text in neskh script with thick gold margins is embellished by very fine elaborate marginal devices marking divisions of text. Sura headings are in gold and blue cartouche form, with white thuluth descriptions. Gold roundels mark verses. Archivally matted with both sides of leaf visible. #4551. Very Good. More

circa 1740. This is a leaf from a very imposing prayer book clearly scripted for an important personange, India, circa 1740, on paper, measuring 235 x 143 mm. There are seven lines naskh script in black ink and an interlinear commentary in red nasta'liq is between verses. The style is typically Indian with a profusion of gold leafing and including 'clouds' and gold lines in-between script. The particular distinction of this work is the delicate meandering vine in gold round each page, a treatment reserved for the finest manuscripts. Archivally matted with both sides of leaf visible. #2629. Fine. More

Basil: Thomam Guarinum, 1578. First Edition. This is a leaf of early printing from a First Edition Biblia Sacra, printed by the prolific Thomam Guarinum in Basil in 1578. The quarto size paper leaf measures 190 x 134 mm. in totality and contains 64-lines of Roman Type printed double column in Latin. The verso contains the same lines type and format. Archivally matted with both sides of leaf visible. #47707. Very Good. More

circa 1575. This is a leaf from a Prayer book and Benedictional for the use of Cistercian Nuns, in Latin, France second quarter of the 16th century. There are eighteen lines in black ink of angular Gothic script from the section of Temporal Benedictions. Provenance: Cistercian House presumably a nunnery since the opening, and only illustrated, office for the profession of female novices, who promise to live secundum regulam sancti Benediciti. The Illumination within this Prayer Book shows considerable similarities with those of the Master of Francois de Rohan, active in Paris from c. 1525 - 1546. Beautifully custom framed. #6800. Fine. More

1825. This brilliantly illustrated leaf is from one of the highest quality medium sized Indian Koran manuscripts, on paper. This page consists of twelve lines, and is a good example, especially because it has a floral margin, which is reserved for only the finest manuscripts produced for important personages. The script is naskh, with thuluth in the headings, and is of a fine elegant hand. A Persian interlinear translation in red has been added. All lines are in gold, as too is the floral border and the Chapter Heading cartouches that are further embelished with blue floral end pieces and white titles. Approximately 192 x 133 mm. Archivally matted with both sides of leaf visible. #4364. Very Good. More

Kashmir: 1835. This is a hand written manuscript leaf from a Koran, Kashmir, circa 1835, on paper. A special style developed in Kashmir typified by the liberal use of gold especially in rulings between the lines of verse. This Koran is unusual because the Arabic naskh is surrounded by Persian, a commentary on the text of fifteen lines in a more sophisticated nastali'q script. This page is one of about a third of the Koran, which has survived. Approximately 9.25 x 5.625 inches. Archivally matted with both sides of leaf visible. #2607. Very Good. More

Persia: circa 1550. This a hand written manuscript leaf from a Koran, Persia, middle of the 16th century, on paper. This leaf comes from a large-sized Koran of fourteen lines of black Nasta'liq script. All the leaves have elegant marginal devises recto and verso, some with absolutely wonderful sura headings. This is a most imposing example from the Islamic Holy Book dating from about 1553-1558. Measures approximately 12.875 x 8.75 inches. Archivally matted with both sides of leaf visible. #23719. Fine. More

This leaf is on paper, in sound condition with 17 lines to the pages written in naskhi script in blank ink, gold discs between verses, interlinear Persian translation in red ink, double interlinear gold rules, margins are ruled with gold and colors. The Sura Headings in naskhi in white ink with a dark navy background, illuminated circular devices in margins, three double pages of illuminations in color and gold. End leave inscribed "Found in Hunza Fort, December 1892, RH Twigg, Captain". There is evidence of devotional use, but is confined to the corners and there is slight browning on some edges, not affecting the text. An interesting leaf, of late Georgian origins and well worth collecting. A large and interesting fragment of a Koran with a remarkable provenance in that it was found in the Hunza Fort, in Kashmir by Captain RH Twigg of the 12th Regiment in December 1892. Archivally matted with both sides of leaf visible. #23028. Fine / Torn. More

Spain: 1650. A leaf from a Medieval Antiphonal or Choir Missal, Spain, circa 1650, in Latin on extremely heavy vellum. Text is in a Spanish rounded gothic hand (Rotunda). Music is on a stave formed of five lines. There are six lines of music and verse. Verso: six lines of music and verse. Framed. #2525. Near Fine. More

A leaf from a medieval manuscript Bible: Paris, France, mid 13th century, in Latin, on vellum. There are fifty-five lines of double column text in microscopic-miniscule Gothic script. There are book headings, chapter numbers, Book of Tobias [Doway-Rheims] non existent in the King James, Chapters 1-2, Miniature of Tobit lying in bed with a swallow above. Verso: there are fifty-five lines of double column text in microscopic-miniscule Gothic script. Bible leaves from the 13th century are becoming rare. Framed. #2874. Fine. More

1770. This beautiful illuminated leaf is from an anthology of Persian Sufi poetry, including works by Sa'di and Hafiz and is scribed in safina format, produced in Persia, on paper, 1770 AD. The scripts employed are the scarce shikasteh and the more common nasta'liq written diagonally on white within gold-bordered cloud bands. Verso: almost a mirror image in design. Beautifully custom framed. #15929. Fine. More

Tehran: 1866. A framed leaf from an illuminated Qajar Koran during the rule of Nasir al-Din Shah (1848-1896), Persian, Tehran. 1866, on paper (220 x 200mm.). There are fourteen lines of text of bold naskhi script in a competent hand within gilded cloud-bands and ruled borders; small roundels make the verse endings, illuminated marginal ornaments, sura heading in red thuluth script within illuminated rectangles. Verso: fourteen lines of text of bold naskhi script in a competent hand within gilded cloud-bands and ruled borders. #24076. Fine. More