Koran

h. 1072 [1661]

This Koran has an illuminated opening spread consisting of the Fatiha and Bakara surahs (ff. 1r-2v). The illumination is surrounded by a broad border with pointed lobes, and consists of tiny pink and lilac coloured flowers, crimson cloud motifs and delicate stems painted on grounds in two shades of gold and lapis blue. The illumination is clearly the work of a master artist. The surah headings are written in white rıka on a plain gold ground. The marginal rosettes marking sections of various lengths are in the form of illuminated hatayi flowers or serrated lanceolate leaves. In the centre of each is a word indicating the type of section they mark (aşr for each ten verses, hizb for each five pages, and cüz for each 20 pages). Two seal impressions stamped in the empty space below the colophon are illegible. The maroon leather binding with flap is original. The covers are decorated with a gold tooled medallion with pendants filled with saz style decoration, cornerpieces and a cartouche border. The chestnut coloured leather doublures decorated with a hand-painted plain medallion flecked with gold are later replacements.