Unknown - Qur'an North India - bi-folio - 1815

An interesting bi-folio from a miniature Indian Quran (likely Kashmiri origin), written on burnished paper dating C1815. The scripture spans the closing verses of the Meccan chapter 78, Surat an-Naba (The Momentous News) and the opening of Surat An-Nazi'at (Those Angels Stripping our Souls), with the division marked by the basmalah. each page is bordered by an illuminated band of polychrome floral and vine scroll work enclosed within red and gilt margins. The script of an-Naba contains the phrases, "The spirit and the Angels will stand in rows"; and "the disbeliever will say, 'Oh I wish that I were dust'.

It is written in naskh in black ink, (noting two slightly different styles when the chapter changes) indicating that a different scribe may well have taken over the work or simply that they wanted only the basmalah to complete the page. The illuminated pages have deep, multi-banded, floral borders with well preserved colouring. The script consists of 8 lines on each folio, separated by gold interlinear bands. The verses are marked by simple gold aya and text has a few diacritical markings in red for devotees to follow. The script has elaborate arabesque framing reaching to the margins of the manuscript pages.

This is an interesting example in good condition.

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