A LARGE QUR'AN LEAF IN KUFIC SCRIPT ON VELLUM, NEAR EAST OR NORTH AFRICA, 9TH CENTURY

Text: Sura Nuh (lxxi), vv.11-28, Surat Al-Jinn (lxxii), vv.1-2
Arabic manuscript leaf, ink, colour and gold on parchment, 15 lines per page written in Kufic script in brown ink, vocalization in red, verse divisions marked with diagonal rows of brown ink dashes, fifth verse division marked with a gold Kufic letter ha, tenth verse division marked with an illuminated roundel containing an abjad letter (kaf, for 20), sura heading written in gold

Adrienne Minassian, New York, 1955

in good condition, some discolouration at bottom left and top right corners with tiny stains, 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 fine Qur'an leaf is a relative rarity on the market. Only four other leaves from this manuscript have previously appeared at auction. All were sold in these rooms: 15 April 1985, lot 15, 10 October 1988, lot 160, 18 October 2001, lot 8, and 5 October 2010, lot 10.

The script is a well-balanced and well-spaced Kufic that corresponds with Déroche's category D.I. According to Déroche, the D.I group of Kufic scripts can be associated with the early 9th to early 10th century, based on dated waqf inscriptions found on several examples, including the famous Amajur Qur'an, which bears a waqf inscription dated 262/875-6, when it was donated to a mosque in Tyre by the Abbasid governor of Damascus (Déroche 1992, pp.36-7). The large size of the folio, the graphic control of the letter-forms and ligatures, the visual rhythm of the mashq and the intentional omission of letter-pointing (i'jam) results in a very elegant and aesthetically pleasing script.