Middle East, likely Iran, ca. 17th century CE. A beautiful leather-bound Qur'an (Koran) with handwritten pages. The text is written in a calligraphic style in black ink upon thin paper and contained within a red border. Red and yellow ink are added, which usually denotes the name of Allah. Personalized notes or corrections are added to the margins. The cover is a wonderful flap design with embossed diamond shaped cartouches and was a later 19th century addition. Figural motifs were thought to distract from the sacred text, so floral and geometric motifs became primary forms of decoration, as seen here on the cover. Size: 6.125" L x 2.5" W x 9" H (15.6 cm x 6.4 cm x 22.9 cm)
This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world’s largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques.
Provenance: private Washington, USA, collection, acquired before 2000
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#163044
Condition
The binding is worn but still functional. Pages have tears, holes, stains, and creases, and some have repairs and restoration. Four loose pages are covered with transparent sheaths. Cover has small tears, cracks, and chips to leather. Most of the text is preserved and legible.