LOT NOT PRESENTED LIVE. PRIOR REGISTRATION NECESSARY TO BID WITH A DEPOSIT OF € 2,000 PLEASE CONTACT US BY EMAIL : [email protected] Dala'il al-khayrat signed by Ahmed Resmi Ink, polychrome pigments and gold on paper; Turkey, Istanbul, dated 1164 AH / 1750-51 AD H. 15.6 cm - W. 10.6 cm - D. 1.4 cm AR The Daila'il al-Khayrat is a text of prayers dedicated to the Prophet Muhammad, compiled by al-Jazuli in the first half of the 15th century, which became one of the most widely distributed texts in the world of Sunni Islam. This high-quality manuscript is signed by Ahmad Rasmi (Ahmed Resmi), a pupil of Katib-zade, and dated 1164 A.H. (1750-51). Born in Istanbul, Ahmed Resmi was a judge from Rumelia. He studied under Katib-zade Mustafa Efendi, and is recorded as a copyist of Qur'ans and Dala'il al-Khayrat. When his son-in-law was appointed Judge of Damascus, he accompanied him there and settled there permanently (Şevket Rado, Türk hattatları, Istanbul, 1983, p. 176). The manuscript opens with a folio decorated with a polychrome and gold mandorla, followed on the verso by a richly illuminated frontispiece of floral motifs abounding in semi-mandorolas, framed by Greek friezes. The text is set in 9 lines of gilt framing, with several illuminated frontispieces introducing the various prayers, elaborate marginal vignettes and various marginal annotations. Finally, it features two beautiful polychrome miniatures depicting views of Mecca and Medina, in the tradition of the Daila'il al-Khayrat. The handsome brown leather binding is deeply embossed with mandorla decoration, with gilt decoration on the backgrounds forming rinceaux and tchi clouds in negative, highlighted in red. It is accompanied by its pouch, also richly embossed and gilded. (Damage to the pouch) We would like to thank Will Kwiatkowski for his help in identifying and describing these Ottoman manuscripts.