A PRAYER SCROLL WITH PROPHET AND SAINTS' SAYINGS
Qajar Iran, 19th century

Prayers and rituals to perform when viewing the new crescent moon, Arabic black ink naskh script followed by Persian red ink interlinear nasta'liq translation, the heading with a typical Qajar polychrome and gold illumination, the bright cherry red border prominent, repeating sayings from the Prophet and Imam 'Ali, set within blue, black, gold, and red rules, the text panel stained darker, on cotton-lined paper, the cusped opening of the brown morocco strap trimmed with crochet silver lace, attached to the paper with polychrome brocade ribbon, a 10.7cm length of Imperial Persian ribbon to the interior of the leather strap, the purple silk brocaded in precious metal thread and polychrome silks with the Qajar emblem of the Shir o Khorshid (Lion and Sun) within an open laurel wreath, alternating with polychrome imperial crowns, the end with crochet silver lace, 176cm x 12.2cm.

Provenance: Galerie Fischer, Lucerne (CH), 'Persische Manuskripte und Miniaturen' auction, 4 December 1968, lot 1270.