Description:

AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE ILLUMINATED QURAN ON GREEN PAPER IN THE FORM OF A LEAF, INDIA, 19TH CENTURY OR LATER
India, 19th century or later

8cm x 5cm

Description:
Arabic manuscript on green-dyed paper, written in fine naskh script in gold ink, comprising multiple bifolios bound in the form of a stylised bodhi or pipal leaf, symbolically referencing enlightenment and spiritual growth. Each folio is entirely filled with lines of dense script in gold, with occasional rubrication and illuminated marginal devices. The opening bifolios are richly ornamented with arabesque and floral scrolls in gold, white, red, and lapis blue. The exterior covers are marbled in pink and decorated with floral motifs, further enhanced with painted medallions.

This manuscript represents an exceptionally rare devotional object combining form, colour, and symbolism in an artistic feat rarely encountered in Islamic manuscript traditions. The use of green-dyed paper and vegetal shape is imbued with spiritual associations in Sufi traditions and Indian Islamic devotional culture.

Comparable examples:

  • A leaf-form Quran manuscript on green paper, 19th century, sold at Sotheby’s, London, Arts of the Islamic World, 31 March 2021, Lot 96, for £18,900.

  • Another similar Quran with illuminated opening in leaf format, India, dated circa 1900, achieved £16,250 at Bonhams, London, Islamic and Indian Art, 26 October 2020, Lot 13.

  • A related Quran in leaf format with lacquer covers, late 19th century, sold at Christie’s, South Kensington, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 20 April 2016, Lot 218, for £13,750.

Note:
This manuscript not only serves as a devotional Quran but also as a highly symbolic talismanic artefact, reflecting the cross-cultural artistic influences of the Indian subcontinent and Sufi spiritual practices. The green paper, revered for its association with paradise and renewal, and the organic leaf form, suggest this manuscript may have been used for private contemplation or gifted as a sacred object.

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

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Bid Increments
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£0 £99 £5
£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