An illuminated Qur’an, North India, Mughal, 17th century

Arabic manuscript on paper, 519 leaves plus 4 fly-leaves, 13 lines to the page, written in naskh in black ink within clouds against a gold ground, ruled in black and gold, some bifolia with margins decorated with gold flowers, verses separated by gold roundels, surah headings in white cursive against a gold ground, gold and polychrome verse markers in the margins, f.1b and f.2a with a polychrome and gold illuminated frontispiece, f.271b and f.272a with a gold and polychrome finispiece, lacquer binding decorated with interlacing palmettes, with leather spine and later fitted green velvet cover

13.5 by 8.5cm.