circa 1650. These are leaves from a Hafez Dewan fragment of Ottoman origin, circa 1650, on paper, measuring 169 x 78 mm., consisting of nineteen lines of delicate black nasta'liq script within geometric designs in blue ink. The author, Mohammed Shams od-Din Hafez, lived from 1325-1399. Hafez was one of Persia's finest lyric poets and wrote in the sophisticated "Ghazal" manner. The Dewan takes the poetic format of six and fifteen couplets and expresses Sufi ideals in lyrics. Framed. #17709/17710. Very Good. More

circa 1760. This is a set of leaves from an anthology or collection of poems by Sa'di, Amir Khusrao, Jami and others. Circa 1760, it is written on paper, in a fine hand, black nasta'liq script with occasional phrases in blue. Written diagonally within two columns, the text throughout is encased in double gold lines with a few exquisite blue and gold floral headings. The fragment also contains illuminated title in polychrome colors of blue gold and red with a final folio of perching birds amongst flower sprays. Framed. #22611/22702. Very Good. More

India: 1425. Framed rare leaf from the remains of a Koran, on paper, India, Sultanate, originating in the state of Bihar, circa AD 1425 (330 x 250 mm).  Text is from the end of juz 15 and juz 16 – 30. There are eleven lines of large bihari script in black ink; the word Allah picked out in red or gold throughout, first ‘ayah’ of each juz selected in gold, single verse divisions marked with illuminated gold florets, sura headings written in white on illuminated panels with palmetts extending into the margins, inner and outer margins ruled in red and blue, large finely illuminated marginal devices marking sajda instructions, juz, quarter and half and three-quarter juz, text words in black. The condition is in unusually good condition.  Damp staining confined largely to one corner, hardly affecting the text. #17886. Good. More

Persia. Framed handwritten manuscript leaf from a Koran, Persia, middle of the 16th century, on paper (325 x 220 mm). This leaf comes from a large-sized Koran of fourteen lines of black Nasta’liq script. It has elegant marginal devices recto and verso. Verso: fourteen lines of black Nasta’liq script. #18003. Fine. More

1846. A leaf from large Koran, Iran, 1846-47, on fine paper. There are fifteen lines of black naskh script, gold rosettes between verses, sura heading in red on illuminated panels, large polychrome medallions in borders, borders ruled in gold, red Persian interlinear translation, colophon signed by the scribe Muhammad'Ali ibn Muhammad Baqir. Framed, measures 345 x 200 mm. #39684. Very Good. More

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 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

A leaf from a Koran, India, late 15th century, on paper (150 x 115 mm). There are fifteen lines to the page written in elegant bihari script with diacritics in black, the word Allah picked out in gold throughout, illuminated rosettes between verses, margins ruled in blue and red, illuminated devices in margins, sura headings in white on gold panels. Verso: fifteen lines to the page written in elegant bihari script Framed. #32531. Near Fine. More

Italy: 1625. Framed leaf from a manuscript antiphonal, of Italian origin, circa 1625, in Latin, on vellum. There are five staves of music and verse in Rotunda script with large capital initials. This Antiphonal was used in a very large cathedral because of its enormous size and is extremely rare.The leaf measures 750 x 525 mm. #49347. Fine. 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. #2537. Near Fine. More

Paris. A leaf from a medieval manuscript Bible: Paris, France, mid 13th century. In Latin on vellum (197 x 134 mm). There are fifty-five lines of triple column text in microscopic-miniscule Gothic script. This leaf is from the final section of the Bible and defines the Hebrew names in alphabetical order. This leaf ends with names beginning with D and starts with C. The letter “D” is four lines high in highly embossed gold on a ground of pink and blue with white tendrils. Verso: there are fifty-five lines of triple column text in microscopic-miniscule Gothic script. Bible leaves have become rare especially ones in fine condition. Framed. #3142. 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

This is an illuminated medieval manuscript Psalter leaf, in Latin, on vellum, Flanders, second half of the thirteen century (125 x 90 mm). There are eighteen lines in a rather small gothic script with single bar borders and serrated line extenders in pink, blue, and burnished gold. Verso: Eighteen lines of gothic script. Framed. #18931. Fine. More