A CALLIGRAPHIC COMPOSITION IN GOLD ON A NATURAL DRIED OAK LEAF
Turkey, dated 1352 AH (1933)

Arabic calligraphic composition applied onto a natural oak leaf in gold with the so-called muthanna ("mirror image") technique, quoting a Quranic verse taken from the Sura Al-Fath (48), signed by Sami and dated 1352, mounted on red archival board, framed, the leaf 21.5cm long, 35.5cm x 37cm including the frame.

Two other golden leaves signed by Sami were offered at Bonhams London, 6 October 2008, lot 57 and 7 October 2010, lot 54. A number of these Turkish 20th-century leaves has been successfully selling in the London market. For further reference, please see Bonhams London, 19 April 2007, lot 39; 2 October 2012, lot 37; and more recently, 13 August 2020, lot 28.

Provenance: Bonhams London, 8 October 2009, lot 76.