A Monumental Qur'an leaf in Kufic script, Near East or North Africa, circa 850-950

Text: surat hud (I), verse 42 - verse 66



Arabic manuscript on parchment, 18 lines to the page written in kufic script in brown ink, diacritics and vowel points picked out in red and green ink, tenth verse marked with red a circle

In generally good condition, some fraying at the edges, some creasing and staining at extremities, small stain to the centre right, ink strong, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This Qur'an leaf in kufic script is remarkable not only for its large proportions but also its ornamented simplicity.  Whilst the script of this unusually large Qur'an folio is close to styles D.I and D.Va in Déroche's categorisation (Déroche 1992, pp.44-45, although the alif and terminal qaf are closest to style C.I, see pp.34-37), there are certain ideosyncracies that differentiate it from other examples of kufic script such as the thin trail of the terminal letters that drop below the line (see the letter mim for example).  Furthermore, the individual verses are not marked in the text but the tenth verses are indicated with subtle red circles, differing from other more elaborate gold verse markers existent in other Qur'an leaves that employ type D scripts.  In fact, there are a few indications that the text may originally have lacked any diacritics or ornamentation altogether, consisting solely of the brown kufic text.  Textual corrections, such as that on line 9 of the verso, have been rendered in the same red ink as the vocalisation, suggesting that both were added simultaneously sometime after the completion of the text (see also Fraser & Kwiatowski 2006, no.6, 34-37and Stanley 1995, no.2).  Although relatively tightly packed together, the script is highly uniform and its legibility suggests that it may have been intended as an institutional copy, perhaps for a mosque or madrasa.

Two other folios from the same manuscript were exhibited in the exhibition Ink and Gold, Museum für Islamiche Kunst, Berlin, 2006 (see Fraser & Kwiatkowski, op.cit., pp.34-37).  A further leaf can be seen in Bernard Quaritch, The Qur'an and Calligraphy, A Selection of Fine Manuscript Material, London, 1995, no.2, pp.58-59).  Other leaves were sold in these rooms 8 October 2008, lot 7, 9 April 2008, lot 14, 24 October 2007, lot 3.