Description:

: A GILT AND SILVER EMBROIDERED METAL THREAD TEXTILE HANGING, DATED 1354 AH / 1935 AD
Saudi Arabia, early 20th century

Description:
A large teardrop-shaped textile panel embroidered in thick silver and gilt metal threads on a black velvet ground, the design in dense thuluth script with bold interlaced scrollwork forming a highly stylised symmetrical composition. The inscription reads: “He is Solomon, and it is in the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful” (Qur’an 27:30), referencing the seal of Prophet Solomon. This type of panel is associated with textile adornments of the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina or ceremonial religious settings in the early Saudi period. The reverse shows significant textile wear, while the front retains much of its metallic sheen and clarity.

Dimensions:
Length: 56 cm

Comparable Examples:

  • A similar early 20th-century silver and gilt embroidered panel from the Kiswah of the Kaaba sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 26 October 2020, Lot 17, for £10,625.

  • A square embroidered panel from the curtain of the Prophet’s Mosque, dated 1330 AH, sold at Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, 25 April 2018, Lot 189, for £11,250.

  • Another comparable silver-thread textile with thuluth inscription, dated 1340 AH, realised £9,375 at Christie’s, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 27 April 2017, Lot 167.

Note:
Textile hangings bearing Qur’anic inscriptions were often part of larger sets used to decorate sacred spaces during religious festivals or royal visits. The use of heavy metallic thread, especially silver, was typical of early 20th-century Saudi textile production for religious institutions. The verse featured here is especially symbolic in Islamic tradition, representing divine authority and wisdom.

 

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
London, United Kingdom

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Bid Increments
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£100 £199 £10
£200 £499 £20
£500 £999 £50
£1,000 £1,999 £100
£2,000 £4,999 £200
£5,000 £9,999 £500
£10,000 £19,999 £1,000
£20,000 £49,999 £2,000
£50,000 £99,999 £5,000
£100,000 £199,999 £10,000
£200,000 £499,999 £20,000
£500,000 £999,999 £50,000
£1,000,000 + £100,000