An Illuminated Quran, Persia, Qajar, mid-19th century

Arabic manuscript on paper, 305 leaves, 14 lines to the page written in a neat Naskhi hand in black ink, verses separated by gold florets embellished with red and blue dots, interlinear floral decoration in gold throughout, surah headings in red ink against gold ground cartouches amid polychrome floral decoration, each text box surmounted by a triangular gold motif enclosing one of the 99 names of Allah on the recto and the juz' number on the verso in red ink, margins ruled in colours and gold, illumination marginal devices in the form of gold and polychrome floral sprays, 3 opening illuminated frontispieces including surah index, opening prayers and opening surahs, 4 further full double pages of illumination, including 2 finispieces, lacquer binding with covers decorated with a central lozenge cartouche filled with flowering plants, a butterfly and songbird,surrounded by a band of flowers, doublures with ensuite decoration

In very good overall condition, small loss to left hand corner of opening lacquer cover, pages clean, gold bright, as viewed.
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