20th May, 2026 11:00

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

 
Lot 7
 


Lot 7 - A FINE ILLUMINATED QUR'AN COPIED BY MUHAMMAD AL-ISFAHANI, PERSIA, DATED 1878-9
Click for high resolution

7

A FINE ILLUMINATED QUR'AN COPIED BY MUHAMMAD AL-ISFAHANI, PERSIA, DATED 1878-9

Arabic manuscript on paper, 242 pages with 2 fly leaves, pages composed in nineteen lines of calligraphy within red, gold and turquoise ruled borders, with polychrome marginal and calligraphic details, opening and closing with a double shamsa, each with a central lobed medallion of white calligraphy on a gold ground within a ground of serrated leaves and lotiform designs, an illuminated double frontispiece, with six lines of text within elaborate illuminated margins of floral scrolls on a deep blue ground with half palmette and other decorative forms, contemporary lacquered papier-mache bindings with designs of elaborate floral sprays within borders of lobed cartouches of floral scrolls, text 15 x 7.9cm., folio 20.9 x 13.1cm.

Inscriptions:
The inscriptions state that this Qur'an was copied for Haji Muhammad Husayn Khan Sadr al-Dawla by Muhammad al-Isfahani in 1296 (1878-9).
Muhammad Husayn Khan was a grandson of Muhammad Husayn Khan Sadr-i Isfahani (d. 1823), the powerful governor of Isfahan. Sadr al-Dawla is mentioned in a list of those who received a title during the first 40 years of Nasir al-Din Shah and that he was a military officer at court. (Afshar, 1363, pp. 315, 425).

Sold for £3,000


 

Arabic manuscript on paper, 242 pages with 2 fly leaves, pages composed in nineteen lines of calligraphy within red, gold and turquoise ruled borders, with polychrome marginal and calligraphic details, opening and closing with a double shamsa, each with a central lobed medallion of white calligraphy on a gold ground within a ground of serrated leaves and lotiform designs, an illuminated double frontispiece, with six lines of text within elaborate illuminated margins of floral scrolls on a deep blue ground with half palmette and other decorative forms, contemporary lacquered papier-mache bindings with designs of elaborate floral sprays within borders of lobed cartouches of floral scrolls, text 15 x 7.9cm., folio 20.9 x 13.1cm.

Inscriptions:
The inscriptions state that this Qur'an was copied for Haji Muhammad Husayn Khan Sadr al-Dawla by Muhammad al-Isfahani in 1296 (1878-9).
Muhammad Husayn Khan was a grandson of Muhammad Husayn Khan Sadr-i Isfahani (d. 1823), the powerful governor of Isfahan. Sadr al-Dawla is mentioned in a list of those who received a title during the first 40 years of Nasir al-Din Shah and that he was a military officer at court. (Afshar, 1363, pp. 315, 425).

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
 
 

Viewing

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