BEAUTIFUL MANUSCRIPT OF THE KORAN Kashmir, early 19th century Arabic manuscript on paper, 364 ff, each leaf with 15 lines of black naskh, each in a cloud on a gold background, the verses separated by gold pastilles, the titles of the suras in blue thuluth on a gold background in illuminated cartouches, jadval in gold, numerous illuminated marginal medallions, advertisements, several double pages including the frontispiece, entirely illuminated in gold and blue, stamped paper endpapers, in its original lacquered papier-mâché binding with floral decoration, the lining painted with a large boteh palmette. Size: 22.5 x 14.7 cm (leaves) A Very Fine Qur'an in its Original Binding, Kashmir, Early 19th century This luxurious manuscript has been lavishly illuminated. In addition to the first double page (the frontispiece), which traditionally receives the full attention of the illuminator, this manuscript has no fewer than seven other fully illuminated pages. These are the pages containing the titles of the suras al-ma'ida, yunis, bani isra'il, al-shu'ara, al-saffat, qaf and the finispice. Like many other Kashmiri Korans, this manuscript is neither signed nor dated, but its style is typical of Kashmiri art from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The large palmette "boteh" painted on the lining of the binding is the motif par excellence associated with the decoration of the famous Kashmiri shawls. See two fine Kashmiri Korans sold at Christie's, London, 6 October 2011, no. 131 and Sotheby's, London, 8 October 2014, no. 42.