A PRAYER SCROLL
PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE AMERICAN TRUST
Qajar Iran or Southern Iraq, early 19th century

Arabic manuscript on joined paper in scroll format, the elegant black ink naskh script featuring the seven daily hisars (protective prayers also called salah or namaz) for different days of the week, the opening page finely illuminated in red, blue, and gold with typical vegetal meanders and arabesque pattern, the text clustered in gold cloudbands, chapter headings in red on illuminated cartouches, gold interlinear demarcations, within gold, red, and blue rules, wrapped in a black calf leather flap, contained in later plastic holder with machine-typed note, possibly a cutting from one of the Rotulus catalogues of Erik von Scherling of Leiden, 160cm x 9.3cm.

Provenance:

In the collection of Erik Von Scherling (1907 – 56), a Swedish-Dutch Antique and Oriental books dealer and connoisseur based in Oegstgeest, Holland;

Then sold in 1952 to Dr. James K. Sutherland (17 December 1897 - 15 June 1988), an Armenian-American cardiologist, physician, and surgeon originally from Hagop Lutfi in Kilis emigrated to America in 1920, settled in Michigan, USA, from whom acquired by the present vendor's family in 1975.