Description:

Lot 4. A QURAN
Sub-Saharan Africa, probably Mali, Timbuktu or Northern Nigeria, 19th Century

Arabic manuscript on locally produced paper, written in bold Sudani script in dark brown and red ink, with diacritical marks and verse separators in red and yellow. The text is arranged in consistent horizontal lines with clear spacing, the script showing characteristic angularity and extended letter forms of West African Qur’anic calligraphy. Several folios feature geometric illumination panels composed of red, yellow, and ochre pigments, forming checkerboard and interlace patterns framed within double borders.

The manuscript retains its original thick leather binding, darkened with age, enclosing leaves of soft, fibrous paper with visible watermarks and irregular edges. A protective leather satchel accompanies the volume, decorated with painted circular motifs and a plaited handle, typical of Qur’anic manuscripts from the Western Sahel.

Such manuscripts were produced in scholarly centres such as Timbuktu and Kano, where Qur’anic study and manuscript copying flourished as part of an enduring Islamic educational tradition. The work exemplifies the distinctive script, ornament, and binding style of West African Islamic book culture.

Length x Width: 25 x 29cm

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November 4, 2025 1:00 PM GMT
London, United Kingdom

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