Enrica Medugno
Sale Coordinator
Property from the Arthur Probsthain Bookshop
The iconic London bookshop, founded by the Probsthain family in 1903, has been a fixture at 41 Great Russell Street, opposite the British Museum, since 1905. Initially managed by Arthur Probsthain, it later passed to his nephew, Walter Sheringham, who took over in 1941. He was soon joined by his wife in 1943. Their children, Michael and Lesley, became involved in the 1970s, ensuring the continuity of this renowned family business. For decades, Probsthain's has been considered one of the foremost dealers in Chinese books in the Western world.
The iconic London bookshop, founded by the Probsthain family in 1903, has been a fixture at 41 Great Russell Street, opposite the British Museum, since 1905. Initially managed by Arthur Probsthain, it later passed to his nephew, Walter Sheringham, who took over in 1941. He was soon joined by his wife in 1943. Their children, Michael and Lesley, became involved in the 1970s, ensuring the continuity of this renowned family business. For decades, Probsthain's has been considered one of the foremost dealers in Chinese books in the Western world.
Lot 21•
Al-Jazuli, Dala'il al-Khayrat, with two stylised diagrams of the holy sites at Mecca and Medina, and numerous other attractively-decorated leaves, copied by al-Amir bin Muhammad Probably West Africa, the town of Bawdh, 19th Century (colophon dated simply 'Friday')
12 November 2024, 11:00 GMT
London, New Bond StreetSold for £10,880 inc. premium
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Oliver White
Head of Department
Al-Jazuli, Dala'il al-Khayrat, with two stylised diagrams of the holy sites at Mecca and Medina, and numerous other attractively-decorated leaves, copied by al-Amir bin Muhammad
Probably West Africa, the town of Bawdh, 19th Century (colophon dated simply 'Friday')
Probably West Africa, the town of Bawdh, 19th Century (colophon dated simply 'Friday')
Arabic manuscript on paper, 166 leaves, probably incomplete and misbound, nine lines to the page written in neat maghribi/sudani script in brown ink with diacritics and vowel points in red and with yellow dots, significant words written in red, catchwords, two brightly-coloured stylised diagrams of the holy sites at Mecca and Medina, several other full-page stylised illustrations, numerous other boldly-coloured marginal devices and headings, blue and yellow comma-shaped devices marking verse-endings, card covers, loose
140 x 95 mm.
140 x 95 mm.
Footnotes
Provenance
With Arthur Probsthain, Great Russell Street, London.
The scribe appears not to be fully conversant with Arabic. The town of Bawdh is unknown.