Description:

 A HIGHLY RARE ISMAILI GENEALOGICAL SCROLL
From the Line of the AGA KHAN to the Prophet Muhammad
Probably Persia or India, 18th Century

Description:
An exceptionally rare and richly detailed genealogical scroll, tracing the lineage of the Ismaili Imams, specifically the descent of the Aga Khan back to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The scroll is written in Arabic and Persian, meticulously scribed in black, red, and gold ink on a long strip of polished paper, mounted as a handscroll. The script alternates between diagonal and vertical orientations, with significant names (such as Walada or ولد) highlighted in large red or gold, marking key progenitorial links across the generations.

Spanning over 140 cm in length, this scroll documents a continuous chain of spiritual authority, beginning with the Prophet and passing through Imam Ali, Fatimah al-Zahra, Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, and other prominent figures in Shi’a Islam, culminating in the modern line of the Aga Khans. It includes theological annotations and honorifics, suggesting the scroll was not merely for display but also for didactic and spiritual reference.

Scrolls of this nature were often commissioned by elite Ismaili patrons, to visually affirm their divinely ordained heritage and assert legitimacy in both spiritual and temporal domains. Given the fragile material and highly specific subject matter, few such scrolls survive intact today.

Dimensions:
Length: 140 cm
Width: 27 cm

Comparable Examples:

  • A Safavid-era genealogical scroll relating to the Twelve Imams in the British Library collection

  • A 19th-century Qajar scroll tracing Fatimid descent in the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto

  • A fragmentary Ismaili scroll auctioned by Christie’s (2009), Islamic Manuscripts Sale, realized £42,000

Note:
This scroll is a rare artifact of Ismaili visual theology, offering historical, religious, and artistic significance. Its clarity of script, intricate layout, and overall preservation make it an invaluable acquisition for collectors of Shi’a manuscripts, genealogical documents, or Aga Khan heritage.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

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

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£100 £199 £10
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£2,000 £4,999 £200
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£10,000 £19,999 £1,000
£20,000 £49,999 £2,000
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£200,000 £499,999 £20,000
£500,000 £999,999 £50,000
£1,000,000 + £100,000