Description:

 FORTY HADITH, WRITTEN IN GOLD TEXT, QAJAR PERSIA, 19TH CENTURY

Description:
A visually stunning manuscript from Qajar-era Persia, this 19th-century Forty Hadith collection is a testament to the refined art of calligraphy and Islamic illumination during the late Persian imperial period. Carefully composed in fine nastaʿlīq script, each hadith is meticulously penned in liquid gold ink on polished cream paper, set within ruled borders in blue and black, framed by delicate accents.

The illuminated heading features a majestic shamsa panel crowned with interlacing floral arabesques in red, cobalt, turquoise, and gold, indicative of Qajar tastes influenced by Safavid manuscript traditions. The margins are clean and spacious, giving each aphorism room to resonate spiritually and visually.

The Forty Hadith genre holds high spiritual and educational value in Islamic tradition, with each prophetic saying selected for its ethical or theological significance. This manuscript is both a devotional object and a display of high aesthetic refinement.

Dimensions:
Length: 24 cm
Width: 17 cm

Comparable Examples:

  • A Qajar “Forty Hadith” manuscript with gold and polychrome decoration sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art Sale, 2018, for £6,875.

  • A late Qajar illuminated manuscript of spiritual sayings, attributed to Isfahan, preserved in the British Library (Or. 14352), shares stylistic affinities with this example, especially in border design and calligraphic layout.

  • Sotheby’s 2015 Islamic Manuscripts sale featured a similarly sized gold-calligraphy devotional manuscript for £5,250, noting strong collector demand for Qajar calligraphy and gold script.

Note:
This manuscript presents a remarkable synthesis of religious reverence and artistic elegance, making it a fine acquisition for collectors of Persian calligraphy, Islamic manuscript illumination, and devotional literature. Its pristine preservation, regal use of gold ink, and exquisite layout underscore its value as both a spiritual and aesthetic artifact.

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