THREE SAFINA MANUSCRIPTS WITH POETRY AND PRAYERS
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Qajar Iran, 19th century

Comprising a poetic anthology, Persian manuscript on paper, 163ff. plus two flyleaves, the poetry arranged in two columns, each double-spread folio with 10 clusters of double lines in three sections with verses of Sa’di, Jami, and various, the opening folio with polychrome and blue floral illumination, the chapter headings on gold against a blue floral ground, poets’ names in red, some folios with brushed pink ground, set within gold and blue rules, in a modern white leather binding, the text panel 15.2cm x 6.3cm, the folio 19.3cm x 10cm; a smaller Persian safina manuscript, 14ff., the black ink shikasteh nasta’liq calligraphy arranged in two columns with three pairs of uneven lines against a gold-sprinkled folio, the opening folio marked but not illuminated, catchwords, within gold and black rules, the colophon inscribed in Persian 'Monday Rabi ul-Thani 1261 (April 1845 AD), written in ink that had no flow whatsoever', in pink endpaper and soft green calf binding, the text panel 4cm x 7.5cm, the folio 11cm x 6.4cm; and an Arabic prayer book, including certain suras of the Qura’n, 163ff., each folio with 8ll. of black ink naskh Arabic text with interlinear Persian translation in red nasta’liq script, certain sections in Persian, the opening bifolio with illuminated polychrome and blue within red bands, the text in gold cloudbands, chapter headings in red ink against blue illuminated cartouches, catchwords, with gold rosette verse markers, within gold and black rules, in dark burgundy soft morocco binding, the text panel 4cm x 10cm, the folio 6.6cm x 13cm.