A PRAYER SCROLL AND TWO CYLINDRICAL AMULET CASES
Qajar Iran, 19th century

Comprising a prayer scroll, Arabic manuscript on tracing paper, also known as ‘snakeskin’, in black and red naskh script, the heading embellished with polychrome and gold illumination, opening with sura al-Fatiha (1) followed by prayers, the borders with further prayers, special letters, and relevant numbers in red, within blue, red, and gold rules, wrapped in a dark brown morocco leather strap, with a 6.5cm length of Imperial Persian ribbon to the interior, the purple silk brocaded in precious metal thread with the Qajar emblem of the Shir o Khorshid (Lion and Sun) within an open laurel wreath, next to a polychrome imperial crown, the end with a crochet metallic thread lace, 44cm x 5.4cm; accompanied by a white metal scroll holder of cylindrical shape, the chased and incised body featuring six lines of Arabic nasta’liq script with the Throne Verse, sura Al-Baqara (2), v. 255, one of two semi-spherical ends opening to house the scroll, three horizontal suspension loops, 8.5cm long, 1.9cm diameter excluding loops; and another, similar, 9.6cm long, 2.2cm diameter excluding loops.

Provenance: Galerie Fischer, Lucerne (CH), 'Persische Manuskripte und Miniaturen' auction, 4 December 1968, lot 1279.