Rock Crystal Stamp Seal of 'Shar Abbas'

Rebound as a hardback with full leather binding, central arabesque foliage panel to each cover; title page with triangular block of naskh text with red marks; first set of text pages typically with 31 lines of cramped naskh script in black ink with red highlighting, hand-drawn geometric figures with numerical notation relating to angles, etc; second set with looser script typically in 23 lines with marginal notes and red underscoring, tables and perpendicular text blocks. 232 grams, 16 x 21.5 cm



From an important family collection started in the late 1950s. Property of a West London, UK, gentleman.

The texts are: (1) 'Ghaniat alhisab' (In Arithmetic) the classification by Judge Jamal al-Din Ahmad bin Ali Ibn Thabit (2) 'Alkaayib' (In Calculating Mathematical Copies) by the computer scientist Shihab al-Din Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Ha'im al-Magdisi, written out by Yusuf ibn Hussein Hamouda Al-Habibi in the year 1095 A.H. (1683 A.D.).

Squat mortar with slightly everted rim, stub pestle with rounded grinding face. 852 grams total, 5.8-11 cm



From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

Comprising several hundred mixed small beads, mostly round or tubular forms, in red carnelian and other materials; all pierced for stringing. 108 grams total, 4-19 mm



UK gallery, early 2000s.