Description:

FORTY NINE (49) ILLUMINATED MONUMENTAL QURAN LEAVES IN BIHARI SCRIPT, INDIA, SULTANATE, 16TH CENTURY

FORTY-NINE ILLUMINATED MONUMENTAL QURAN LEAVES IN BIHARI SCRIPT, INDIA, SULTANATE PERIOD, 16TH CENTURY
India, Sultanate, circa 16th century

Description:
Arabic manuscript on paper, comprising 49 monumental folios (plus 4 fly-leaves), each leaf written in a grand hand in 15 lines of Bihari script, in bold black ink, with key words such as Allah picked out in burnished gold, and punctuation marked by polychrome rosettes. Surah headings appear in gold and white within elaborately illuminated panels of rich reds, blues, and green. Each leaf is ruled in red and black, and the margins are further annotated with diagonal glosses and large gold and polychrome medallions used for visual punctuation and navigation.

Dimensions: 54.1 x 32.9 cm

This impressive set likely formed part of a grand commission, perhaps for a Sultanate ruler or prominent religious institution. The use of the distinctive Bihari script, restricted in use between the 14th and 16th centuries, and its large scale suggest its production at a time of cultural and religious transition in North India.

Comparable examples:

  • A set of 35 leaves from the same Qur'an sold at Sotheby’s, London, Arts of the Islamic World & India, 26 April 2023, Lot 25, for £127,000.

  • A single monumental Bihari leaf from this Qur’an, similarly illuminated, was sold at Sotheby’s, London, Arts of the Islamic World, 23 October 2019, Lot 18, for £8,125.

  • A comparable Bihari Qur’an manuscript in partial form, India, 15th century, realised £56,250 at Bonhams, London, Islamic and Indian Art, 22 May 2017, Lot 6.

Note:
Bihari script, named for its primary region of use (Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh), is distinguished by its elongated horizontal strokes, rounded terminals, and diacritical separation, making it both legible and visually impactful—particularly suited for monumental Qur’ans such as this. Such manuscripts are exceedingly rare, with complete or near-complete sets seldom seen on the market. The present group offers an exceptional opportunity to acquire an extensive and well-preserved portion of a historically and artistically important Qur’an.

Provenance: 

Sothebys Arts of the Islamic World & India - 25 October 2023, LOT 24

 

Accepted Forms of Payment:

MasterCard, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

We have our own specialist packing and international shipping service and are happy to arrange this for you, we will add a postage and packing quote to your sales invoice. We also offer a door to door courier service to take the stress out of receiving delicate or expensive items.

If you are arranging your own professional delivery, please ensure that the lot has been paid for and the transport company has full details of the items being collected and an appointment has been booked. We work strictly on an appointment basis for dispatching goods.

If you choose to use our services we will ensure goods that have left the auction premises are in perfect condition, by choosing our in house professional packaging services you agree to our terms and conditions and do not hold us accountable for any damages or loss of items in transit. You will be provided with a tracking number and all our packages sent out will require a signature upon delivery. We do not insure goods dispatched unless asked to do so, which will incur additional charges added to your invoice upon request.

We thank you for using our specialist packing & shipping service and hope to continue to do business with you in the near future.

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

PLAKAS

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 29% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
£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