20th May, 2026 11:00

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

 
Lot 3
 
Lot 3 - AN ILLUMINATED FOLIO FROM A SIGNED MASNAVI, PERSIAN OR OTTOMAN, CIRCA 1570-90
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3

AN ILLUMINATED FOLIO FROM A SIGNED MASNAVI, PERSIAN OR OTTOMAN, CIRCA 1570-90

in black ink, gold and opaque colour on paper, the text in fine nasta'liq composed in twenty three lines in four columns, a panel of lotiform designs in blue on a gold ground, within a border of bracketed form containing further lotiform and naturalistic floral motifs formed in scrolls on a deep blue ground, folio 35 x 23cm.

This is the final leaf of a Persian masnavi, which according to the text, is entitled the Anbiya-Nama (Book of Prophets). There were several works of this title, including the first volume of the official chronicler of the Ottoman court ‘Arif Chelebi’s multi-volume universal history, Shahnama-i Al-i Osman, completed in 1552. There were several other masnavis written with this title, however, including one by a 16th-century poet Ibrahim Shabistari ‘Iyani. A leaf in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is said to come from an Anbiya Nama of Ibrahim b. ‘Abdullah, which may be from the same work, acc. no. 14/625.
The colophon says that the manuscript was copied by one Muhammad b. Darwish Muhammad al-Katib al-Tabrizi.

Sold for £550


 

in black ink, gold and opaque colour on paper, the text in fine nasta'liq composed in twenty three lines in four columns, a panel of lotiform designs in blue on a gold ground, within a border of bracketed form containing further lotiform and naturalistic floral motifs formed in scrolls on a deep blue ground, folio 35 x 23cm.

This is the final leaf of a Persian masnavi, which according to the text, is entitled the Anbiya-Nama (Book of Prophets). There were several works of this title, including the first volume of the official chronicler of the Ottoman court ‘Arif Chelebi’s multi-volume universal history, Shahnama-i Al-i Osman, completed in 1552. There were several other masnavis written with this title, however, including one by a 16th-century poet Ibrahim Shabistari ‘Iyani. A leaf in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is said to come from an Anbiya Nama of Ibrahim b. ‘Abdullah, which may be from the same work, acc. no. 14/625.
The colophon says that the manuscript was copied by one Muhammad b. Darwish Muhammad al-Katib al-Tabrizi.

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