20th May, 2026 11:00

Live Sale: Indian, Islamic, Himalayan and South-East Asian Art 2026

 
Lot 11
 
Lot 11 - THE OPENING FOLIO OF A ROYAL TALPUR COPY OF TAKMILA-I HAMLA-I HAYDARI OF NAJAF, SINDH, CIRCA 1820
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11

THE OPENING FOLIO OF A ROYAL TALPUR COPY OF TAKMILA-I HAMLA-I HAYDARI OF NAJAF, SINDH, CIRCA 1820

in black ink on paper, the text in four columns of fourteen lines of nasta'liq, illuminated in red, blue, black and gold with elaborate lobed cartouches containing formal and naturalistic floral motifs, mounted, folio 40.5 x 25.5cm

This is the opening leaf of the Takmila-i Hamla-i Haydari, ’the Completion of the Hamla-i Haydari” of the poet “Najaf”.
In 1135/1722-3 AD,The poet put together the two-volume, uncompleted masnavi recounting the battles of the Prophet Muhammad and ‘Ali b. Abi Talib, the Hamla-i Haydari, of Muhammad Rafi “Badhil” Mashhadi (d. 1123/1711-12 AD) with a work on the life of Imam ‘Ali by Abu Talib Findirski Isfahani, a poet active during the reign of the Safavid Shah Suleyman, into a single volume called The Completion of the Hamla-i Haydari. It was later printed in Agra in 1305 (1887-8 AD).
At the top of the page is what appears to be a dedication to "al-Sultan Mir Karam ‘Ali Khan” (r. 1811-1828 AD). This would indicate that the manuscript was a royal Talpur commission which were generally carried out by Persian artists brought to work in Sind.

Sold for £400


 

in black ink on paper, the text in four columns of fourteen lines of nasta'liq, illuminated in red, blue, black and gold with elaborate lobed cartouches containing formal and naturalistic floral motifs, mounted, folio 40.5 x 25.5cm

This is the opening leaf of the Takmila-i Hamla-i Haydari, ’the Completion of the Hamla-i Haydari” of the poet “Najaf”.
In 1135/1722-3 AD,The poet put together the two-volume, uncompleted masnavi recounting the battles of the Prophet Muhammad and ‘Ali b. Abi Talib, the Hamla-i Haydari, of Muhammad Rafi “Badhil” Mashhadi (d. 1123/1711-12 AD) with a work on the life of Imam ‘Ali by Abu Talib Findirski Isfahani, a poet active during the reign of the Safavid Shah Suleyman, into a single volume called The Completion of the Hamla-i Haydari. It was later printed in Agra in 1305 (1887-8 AD).
At the top of the page is what appears to be a dedication to "al-Sultan Mir Karam ‘Ali Khan” (r. 1811-1828 AD). This would indicate that the manuscript was a royal Talpur commission which were generally carried out by Persian artists brought to work in Sind.

Auction: Live Sale: Indian, Islamic, Himalayan and South-East Asian Art 2026, 20th May, 2026

The sale includes the collection of Robert Skelton OBE, curator of Indian Art at the Victoria and Albert Museum.  It comprises some exquisite 18th and 19th century Indian paintings and drawings as well as a fine group of modern Indian paintings with works by Shiavax Chavda (1914 - 1990), Francis Newton Souza (1924 - 2002), K Laxma Goud (B. 1940) and Jayashree Chakravarty (B. 1956).  Tiles, Indian bronzes, thewa boxes, a silver gilt ewer, a ‘Koftgari’ pen box and a Mughal carved black jade dagger are also among the lots in this collection.

Also in the same sale is 10th -12th century Persian pottery, a monumental pair of 19th century doors, Persian and Syrian ceramics including tiles, also Iznic tiles from Ottoman Anatolia. Other lots include Indian bronze figures, small furniture, textiles and rugs.
 
Auction Location: London, UK
 
PUBLIC EXHIBITION
Sunday 17th May: 12pm to 4pm 
Monday 18th May: 10am to 5:30pm
Tuesday 19th May: 10am to 5pm
 
CONTACT
indianandislamic@olympiaauctions.com  + 44 (0)20 7806 5545
 
 

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PUBLIC EXHIBITION:

Sunday 17th May: 12pm to 4pm 
Monday 18th May: 10am to 5:30pm
Tuesday 19th May: 10am to 5pm

CONTACT
indianandislamic@olympiaauctions.com  + 44 (0)20 7806 5545

View all lots in this sale