A LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ CONCERTINA MURAQQA' ALBUM WITH SHIKASTEH NASTA'LIQ CALLIGRAPHY
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Qajar Iran, dated 1277 AH (1860 - 1861 AD)

Comprising two facing pairs of Persian poetry manuscripts on paper in a concertina format, each folio with black ink shikasteh nasta’liq calligraphy set in cloudbands against burnished gold and polychrome-illuminated fields, within concentric plain brown and orange borders and black, blue, gold, and white rules, the first pair laid on green paper on card, the second pair on light blue, both compositions held in a cobalt blue and gold lacquered binding with lobed arches and cusped central floral medallion, red calf inner edges, the first panel signed Ahmad Shirazi, in the new courtyard of Imam Reza's Mausoleum in Mashhad, 8 Dhu al-Qidah 1277 AH (18 May 1861 AD), the third panel signed Mirza-ye Shirazi for Issa Khan Ghoorchi Bashi, Moharram 1277 AH (July-August 1860 AD), the text panels respectively 14cm x 8.5cm, and 17cm x 10.5cm, the folios 26.5cm x 16.2cm.