- 72
An Illustrated and Illuminated Manuscript of Jami's Subhat al-Abrar, probably written for the Safavid Prince Bahram Mirza, perhaps as a gift in honour of his birth, probably Tabriz, Persia, Safavid, circa 1550
Estimate
100,000 - 150,000 GBP
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Description
- Ink, Gouache & Gold on Paper
Persian manuscript on paper, 104 leaves, 15 lines to the page written in two columns of neat Nasta'liq script in black ink on cream, buff, blue and yellow paper, numerous leaves with text written diagonally and interspersed with small triangular and square panels of illumination, headings in Nasta'liq script in red, white, green, blue and yellow ink in ruled panels, margins ruled in colours and gold, catchwords in wide outer margins, opening shamsa and headpiece finely illuminated in colours and gold, 13 miniatures, six signed by the artist Aftab, 11 with areas of retouching, some text leaves later replacements, later red morocco binding with central medallions, cornerpieces and border cartouches of gilt-stamped foliate motifs, doublures of brown morocco with central medallion and cornerpieces of gilt filigreework over pink grounds, binding reversed
Condition
IN good overall condition, binding reversed,
"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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
inscriptions
within the opening shamsa:
bi-rasm kitabkhaneh shahriyar abu'l-fath bahram jam iqtidar
'For the library of Prince Abu'l-Fath Bahram, who has the authority of Jam'
This is an important and interesting copy of Jami's Subhat Al-Abrar, remarkable for several reasons. It appears from the opening shamsa that it was written for the birth of the Safavid prince Bahram Mirza, the younger son of the first Safavid emperor Shah Isma'il I and the brother of Shah Tahmasp. The wording used is exactly the same as that which appears on other manuscripts written for Bahram Mirza, notably three copies of the Masnavi in the British Library and the Bahram Mirza Album in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul.
The miniatures and illumination are as follows:
1. Opening shamsa with ex-libris of Bahram Mirza
2. Opening illuminated headpiece
3. A supplicant kneels before a prince, who sits on a golden throne in a landscape. Signed at lower left Aftab Naqqash. 16.3 by 10.1cm.
4. Abraham seated in the fire, watched by amazed Zoroastrians. 16.3 by 10.2cm.
5. A prince converses with two princesses and a courtier in a palace chamber. Signed at lower left Aftab Naqqash. 18.7 by 10cm.
6. A prisoner is beaten with sticks while a prince gives orders and courtiers watch. 21.9 by 12.3cm.
7. A prince on horseback converses with a holy man by a mountain pond, a haloed figure looks on from the horizon. Signed at lower left Mir Aftab. 20 by 8.5cm.
8. An old man lies dead on the ground having fallen from the walls of a castle. 15 by 9.4cm.
9. A couple floundering in a river while a prince and courtiers watch from the bank. 19.8 by 12.2cm.
10. A princess in a palace chamber holds out a blue cloth for a haloed prince to examine. 16.7 by 9.2cm.
11. An old woman conversing with a group of holy men in a palace chamber. Signed at lower left Aftab Naqqash. 19.3 by 9.4cm.
12. A prince and courtiers in a palace chamber. Signed at lower left Aftab. 16.1 by 8.8cm.
13. A haloed holy man stands in conversation on a palace terrace before a kneeling ruler. 15.8 by 9.2cm.
14. Courtiers and gardeners in a palace garden. Signed on purple base of building at mid-left bandieh-durgah Aftab Naqqash. 15.6 by 10.4cm.
15. later miniature of a prince reading a book assisted by his teacher (perhaps meant to represent symbolically Prince Bahram Mirza with Jami). Inscribed in white Thuluth above and below the miniature shabihi musannif kitab ast bi-tarikh shahr sha'ban al-azam 923 (spurious). Inscribed minutely on edge of book on bookstand in miniature Ali Ta. 4.1 by 7.6cm. Bordered left and right with fine illumination.
within the opening shamsa:
bi-rasm kitabkhaneh shahriyar abu'l-fath bahram jam iqtidar
'For the library of Prince Abu'l-Fath Bahram, who has the authority of Jam'
This is an important and interesting copy of Jami's Subhat Al-Abrar, remarkable for several reasons. It appears from the opening shamsa that it was written for the birth of the Safavid prince Bahram Mirza, the younger son of the first Safavid emperor Shah Isma'il I and the brother of Shah Tahmasp. The wording used is exactly the same as that which appears on other manuscripts written for Bahram Mirza, notably three copies of the Masnavi in the British Library and the Bahram Mirza Album in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul.
The miniatures and illumination are as follows:
1. Opening shamsa with ex-libris of Bahram Mirza
2. Opening illuminated headpiece
3. A supplicant kneels before a prince, who sits on a golden throne in a landscape. Signed at lower left Aftab Naqqash. 16.3 by 10.1cm.
4. Abraham seated in the fire, watched by amazed Zoroastrians. 16.3 by 10.2cm.
5. A prince converses with two princesses and a courtier in a palace chamber. Signed at lower left Aftab Naqqash. 18.7 by 10cm.
6. A prisoner is beaten with sticks while a prince gives orders and courtiers watch. 21.9 by 12.3cm.
7. A prince on horseback converses with a holy man by a mountain pond, a haloed figure looks on from the horizon. Signed at lower left Mir Aftab. 20 by 8.5cm.
8. An old man lies dead on the ground having fallen from the walls of a castle. 15 by 9.4cm.
9. A couple floundering in a river while a prince and courtiers watch from the bank. 19.8 by 12.2cm.
10. A princess in a palace chamber holds out a blue cloth for a haloed prince to examine. 16.7 by 9.2cm.
11. An old woman conversing with a group of holy men in a palace chamber. Signed at lower left Aftab Naqqash. 19.3 by 9.4cm.
12. A prince and courtiers in a palace chamber. Signed at lower left Aftab. 16.1 by 8.8cm.
13. A haloed holy man stands in conversation on a palace terrace before a kneeling ruler. 15.8 by 9.2cm.
14. Courtiers and gardeners in a palace garden. Signed on purple base of building at mid-left bandieh-durgah Aftab Naqqash. 15.6 by 10.4cm.
15. later miniature of a prince reading a book assisted by his teacher (perhaps meant to represent symbolically Prince Bahram Mirza with Jami). Inscribed in white Thuluth above and below the miniature shabihi musannif kitab ast bi-tarikh shahr sha'ban al-azam 923 (spurious). Inscribed minutely on edge of book on bookstand in miniature Ali Ta. 4.1 by 7.6cm. Bordered left and right with fine illumination.