A rare complete copy of Rasa’il Ikhwan al-Safa ('Epistles of the Brethren of Purity'), copied by Muhammad Baqir ibn Hajji Muhammad al-Hafiz, Persia, Safavid, dated 1041-42 AH/1631-33 AD

Arabic manuscript on paper, 537 leaves, plus 1 fly-leaf, 21 lines to the page written in neat naskh in black ink, key words and phrases picked out in red, ruled in gold, orange, blue and black, headings in white thuluth on gold and polychrome illuminated panels, opening bifolio with gold and polychrome illuminated headpiece surmounting text in clouds reserved against a gold ground within illuminated floral margins, 19 further illuminated headpieces within the text, with various charts and diagrams including an illustration of the River Nile, with later added additional index, in Safavid gilt-stamped binding with flap

text panel: 27.2 by 15.5cm.

leaf: 37.2 by 22.8cm.