A Rare mufredat Signed by Nefes-Zade Isma'il Effendi (D.1679), Turkey, first half 17th century

Of concertina-album form, comprising 15 panels of calligraphy, each with two lines of Arabic text in bold thuluth script, laid down on album pages of various colours: pink, yellow, orange, light green, red and cream, the text separated by segmented gold florets pointed in blue and red, oxblood morocco boards with central motifs of interlacing split-palmettes in gold, framed

In good overall condition, framed, as viewed.
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Ottoman calligraphic albums of Mufredat consist of both the independent and combined forms of the letters, short prayers and the bismillah. Such albums originated as exercises but they continued to serve as exemplars for those studying calligraphy. The recognition and mastering of the correct letter-forms was not only a practical exercise for the student of calligraphy, but also a general lesson in aesthetics. The present album is a masterpiece of Nefes-zade Isma'il Effendi (d.1679), the teacher of Hafiz Osman Effendi (d.1689) and the second founder of the school of Sheikh Hamdullah Effendi (d.1526).    

Nefes-zade Isma'il Effendi (d.1679)
Born in Istanbul, Nefes-zade Isma'il Efendi was a relative of Nefes-zade Ibrahim Effendi (d.1650), the author of one of the leading references on the history and technicalities of calligraphy, Gulzar-i Sawab. He studied calligraphy under the supervision of Halid Erzurumi (d.1630), and was celebrated for his unparalleled skills in writing in the style of the sixteenth century calligraphy master Sheikh Hamdullah Effendi (d.1526). Due to his insight in this particular style, he was regarded as the second founder and 'master' (ustad-i thani) of the school of Sheikh Hamdullah. Nefes-zade Isma'il Effendi could write in a hand which was said to be indistinguishable from that of Sheikh Hamdullah. The famous court calligrapher Hafiz Osman (d.1698) was among the students of Nefes-zade Isma'il with whom he studied the works of Sheikh Hamdullah Effendi (see N.F. Safwat, The Art of the Pen, London, 1996, p.115). He died in 1679.