Rare 700-year-old Quran page up for auction in London

A leaflet from the Koran made in Baghdad around 1310 will be offered for auction at Christie’s in London on November 12. Estimated between Around 60,000 and 84,000 eurosthis manuscript belongs to the Ilkhanid period, a dynasty of Mongol origin which then ruled part of the Middle East.

With its imposing dimensions – almost 58 by 43 centimeters – this page attracts attention as much by its format as by the finesse of its decoration. It bears the first three verses of Surah Al-Humazah, traced in gold letters on four lines, in a script called muhaqqaq. Colorful rosettes separate the verses, while the title of the surah appears in Kufic characters, surrounded by arabesques.

Christie’s attributes the illuminations to Muhammad ibn Aybak ibn Abdullah, a master active in Baghdad in the early 14th century. This artist is notably associated with two large Korans created for the Ilkhanid court. The name of the calligrapher who copied the verses, however, remains uncertain.

Another interesting detail: the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha keeps a leaflet which would come from the same manuscript. Its dimensions and decorations have strong similarities with the page for sale. This would have belonged to a private British collection since 1971, according to the provenance reported by Christie’s.

The sale will bring together more than 230 lots dedicated to the arts of the Islamic and Indian worlds: manuscripts, ceramics, paintings, textiles and metal objects. An exhibition open to the public, organized from November 7 to 11 in London, allows you to discover these works before their dispersion.