Qur'an, 1876-78 (ink on paper with brown morocco binding)

The calligraphy signed Yahya Hilmi, Ottoman Turkey, dated AH 1293/1876-77 AD, the illumination signed Osman Yumni, a student of Husni, dated AH 1294/1877-78 AD. Arabic manuscript on paper, 410ff. plus three fly-leaves, each folio with 23ll. of elegant black naskh, text panels within thick gold outlines, catchwords, gold and polychrome verse roundels in an array of different floral and geometric forms, sura headings in white naskh on gold cartouches within gold and polychrome illuminated panels, finely illuminated foliate marginal medallions throughout marking various points in the text, opening bifolio with extremely fine double page textured illumination framing panels of 7ll. of naskh in clouds reserved against gold ground, colophon signed and dated and stating that it was copied for a Sa'di Bey Efendi, son of Kaqqi Bey Efendi, the name of the illuminator and date of completion of the illumination in a gold and polychrome panel at the bottom, preceding folio also with a gold illuminated panel framing the text, in original brown morocco with flap decorated with elegant central cartouche and spandrels filled with flowers and cloudbands on gold speckled ground, the doublures with strong floral design, with one original fly-leaf similarly decorated.