Description:

THE BOOK OF THE RISING STARS, IN MENTIONING CRAFTS NEEDED FOR BUILDING DOMES, MINARETS, AND FOUNDATIONS,  SCHOLAR MUHAMMAD ABI AL-KHAIR AL-HASANI, DATED 1244AH

25cm x 17cm

Arabic manuscript on cream paper written in an elegant, highly legible North African maghribi-influenced script in black ink with important words and headings in red. This work, titled Kitab al-Nujum al-Sharifat, is an instructional and theoretical treatise dealing with the various crafts and techniques essential to Islamic architectural construction—especially domes, minarets, and foundations. The manuscript includes highly structured chapters, a clear table of contents, and distinct formatting using rubrication to organize the engineering knowledge presented.

The manuscript is complete and very well preserved, with minimal staining or repair. The binding is in a handsome later reddish-brown leather with blind-stamped mandorla and vertical linear tooling. The text is laid out in a wide margin format, with some folios showing yellow paper reinforcement guards.

Measurements:
21 x 15 cm

Comparable examples:

  • A treatise on Islamic architecture and engineering, North Africa, early 20th century, sold at Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, 25 October 2017, Lot 123, for £4,250. 

  • A manuscript on traditional North African crafts and building practices, dated 19th century, sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 27 April 2020, Lot 41, for £3,750. 

  • A related architectural manuscript from Egypt, 19th century, focusing on minarets and domes, sold at Christie’s, South Kensington, 6 October 2015, Lot 109, for £4,000.

Note:
This manuscript provides valuable insight into the applied sciences and traditional craftsmanship of Islamic architecture, particularly within a North African context. The mention of crafts like carpentry, masonry, and geometric planning reflects the interdisciplinary knowledge needed for constructing religious and civic monuments. The date (1328 AH) corresponds to 1910 CE, making it one of the later yet culturally significant compilations of Islamic architectural heritage.

 

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
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