18th Century Illuminated Turkish/Ottoman Manuscript Qur'an

Author: Anonymous
Title: 18th Century Illuminated Turkish/Ottoman Manuscript Qu’ran
Date: 17??
Place: Turkey/Ottoman Empire
Dimensions: 24.5cm x 16cm

A Turkish/Ottoman manuscript Qu’ran, beautifully illuminated by hand. 

Most likely 18th century given paper type, watermarks, binding and age related wear. There is no attribution as is sometimes found in Qur’an manuscripts - it has been suggested that the text was likely executed by a scribe, rather than a master calligrapher, and would not deem their names worthy to appear alongside the holy Qur’anic text.

304 leaves including terminal blanks/endpapers.
pp 4-5 with opening illumination (unwān / sarlawḥ).

On burnished European laid paper of at least 2 types, with watermarks visible in the gutters. One type contains the watermark of an eagle with wings and legs spread and initials ‘B G’ underneath. Another type also contains the watermark of an eagle, legs and wings spread, with scroll work (?) beneath, alternating with a lion rampant inside a shield/coat of arms, with internal crescent above and crown above the shield.

15 lines, single column text in Naskh script, text rubricated with sūrah headings in red for Sūrah Al-Imran & Sūrah An-Nisa, diacritics marking pauses and other abbreviations in red from Sūrah Al-Baqarah verse 142 to Sūrah An Nisa verse 147 only. Illuminated marginal rosettes, teardrops and hexagrams in blues, gilt, pinks, greens and purple. Occasional marginal remark in Arabic.

Gold disks mark verse endings, the entire text of each page contained in gilded border, single ruled internally and double ruled externally. Besides the sūrahs mentioned above, there are blank rectangular panels marking the beginning of each succeeding sūrah.

Later pagination in pencil to the head of each page in Eastern Arabic numerals, alternative contemporary ink pagination up to the page containing Sūrah Al-Baqarah verse 142 where the red diacritic marks begin.

Tightback binding with flap. Spine perished, flap with pink floral cloth lining, the gilt decorations and red leather has been well preserved on the recto of the flap, but the boards retain only their simple blindstamps and faint outlines of previous gilt work. Some rubbing and scuffing to the boards. The occasional dampstain, some chips to leaf edges, a few archival tape repairs, endpaper gutters reinforced with same. Pastedowns lightly foxed. What appears to be a water-transfer sticker of a butterfly to the rear free endpaper. There is the occasional spot of foxing, thumbing, soiling and a handful of ink smudges to the text and marginal illuminations.

As is evident from the description above, this manuscript was likely in frequent use. Now housed in a modern custom clamshell case, marbled internally and externally, leather spine with gilt ruling and titling, leather edges.