Timurid-Era Quran Copy to Be Auctioned in London

British auction house Christie’s plans to hold an auction of Islamic and oriental arts later this month.

British auction house Christie’s plans to hold an auction of Islamic and oriental arts later this month.

Christie’s forthcoming Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds including Oriental Rugs and Carpets, slated for June 25, features a magnificent range of manuscripts, objects and paintings from across the Middle East, India and Europe.

Exemplifying the rich artistic exchange between Iran and China is a Timurid Quran written on a vast array of colored Chinese papers, delicately ornamented with mountainous landscapes, Chinese buildings and flowering plants and fruits.

The verses have been written in elegant Naskh script on heavy colored Chinese paper including deep blue, turquoise, pink, purple, orange, green and cream, the text within gold and blue rules, with gold roundel verse markers. Surah headings are in gold Thultuh in gold ruled panels, catchwords, marginal medallions illuminated in gold.

It will be auctioned at the base price of 600,000 pounds.