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Lot 16

An illuminated firman with an elaborate 17th Century official seal impression of a shrine
Early Qajar Persia, Mashhad, late 18th Century

2 April 2009, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

£2,000 - £3,000

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An illuminated firman with an elaborate 17th Century official seal impression of a shrine
Early Qajar Persia, Mashhad, late 18th Century

Persian manuscript on paper, 10 lines of text written in elegant shikasteh script in black ink, inner margins ruled in blue and gold, the elaborate seal impression incorporated in an illuminated headpiece richly decorated with intertwining floral motifs and serrated leaves in colours and gold in the Safavid style, outer margins and verso with numerous witness inscriptions and seal impressions, creased, one tear repaired with adhesive tape, in mount
590 x 295 mm.

Footnotes

The seal impression, in the shape of an 'alam, is composed of a central medallion bearing the date AH 1105/AD 1693, surrounded by 14 smaller medallions containing the names of the Prophet Muhammad, Fatima and the Twelve Imams. For more on official Mashhad seals see M. A. Karimzadeh Tabrizi, Seals, Tugras and Firmans of Persian Kings from Safavids to Qajars, London 2008, pp. 473-74 and illustration.

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