A heartstoppingly beautiful 15th century Timurid Qur'an copied on Ming Dynasty gold-painted colored paper, is coming up for auction @ChristiesInc in London on 25th July. Estimate $780 000 - $1.2m.
Only four other similar Qur'ans written on Chinese paper like this are known. 1/2
Only four other similar Qur'ans written on Chinese paper like this are known. 1/2
Although coloured paper was used in the Islamic world for many centuries, Chinese paper had a particular appeal with its luscious finish, vibrant colours and exotic designs. The silky texture is achieved through the technique of permeating the paper with lead white. 2/2
The orientation of the paper does not always follow the direction of the text - this is likely an intentional decision made by the calligrapher, to emphasize the Qur’anic text as the most important feature, with the background decoration as of only secondary, superficial beauty.
The exact formula with which the paper was permeated and dyed is still not fully known. It was not just its velvety texture that made the paper desirable but also its range of colours, which were extensive and in this Qur'an include shades of blue, pink, lavender, yellow & green.
Many pages in this Qur’an are decorated with either gold speckles or characteristically Chinese motifs such as naturalistic details of plants like peach blossoms, architecture & landscapes. These designs resonate with the patterns seen on Ming silks and blue and white porcelain.
A late 14th century Chinese source associates the making of 'waxed paper' with the city of Shaohsing on the south-central coast of China. It's thought that at least one batch of paper was brought back from China by an emissary sent by Shah Rukh who returned in 1422.
Before the discovery of this Qur’an, only 6 literary manuscripts, a Sufi treatise and 4 other Qur’ans created from Chinese paper had been identified. The four previously known Qur’ans include those in the Detroit Institute of Art and the Türk ve Islam Eserleri Muzesi in Istanbul.
This magnificent Timurid Qur’an is a stunning example of the innovation of the imperial studios of 15th century Persia; it also embodies the physical evidence of the cultural and diplomatic relations between Ming China and Timurid Iran.
Correction: the @ChristiesInc auction is on 25th June, not July.
The most similar Timurid Qur'an to the one being sold today by @ChristiesInc is the example at the Detroit Institute of Arts, purchased by them in 1930. It's larger than the Christies copy, but the colored paper has gold flecks only, not illustrations.
dia.org
dia.org
Sold today @ChristiesInc in London for a hammer price of £6 million pounds, which equates to £7,016,250 after buyers fees.
"A rare manuscript of a 15th-century Iranian Quran has recently sold for £7,016,250, almost 12 times more than its estimated price, in an auction held in London by the Christie’s."
tehrantimes.com
tehrantimes.com
"Astonishingly beautiful, the book is covered with a stamped and gilt Safavid binding, while the pages inside have Thuluth calligraphy in gold ruled panels, with medallions in the margin illuminated in white, blue and gold."
iqna.ir
iqna.ir
"Prior to the sale it was expected to fetch between £600,000 and £900,000, however the bidding on the night was fast paced, and the final price realised on Friday, June 25 was £7,016,250. Details of the buyer have not been released."
thenational.ae
thenational.ae
It's now a week after the auction, and despite a record breaking price of over £7m, nearly 8 times the high estimate, still no press-release from Christies.
This likely indicates the buyer was institutional, and is co-ordinating a forthcoming public announcement with Christies.
This likely indicates the buyer was institutional, and is co-ordinating a forthcoming public announcement with Christies.
Thanks to the kindness of the brilliant @mcburney_nick, who viewed this remarkable multicolored Timurid Qur'an in person before the sale and photographed very page, I can now share a download link here for a full set of images - over 1000 in total.
dropbox.com
dropbox.com
In response to several requests, I am re-uploading the full set of over 1000 images of the remarkable multicolored Timurid Qur'an, all taken and very kindly supplied to me by @mcburney_nick.
You can download them here:
dropbox.com
You can download them here:
dropbox.com
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