Western Asiatic Gemstone Necklace Pendant Collection

Barrel-shaped in profile with two lateral lugs below the rim. 812 grams, 10 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.

Rebound as a hardback with full leather binding, drypoint border to covers and central geometric roundel; laid paper pages with usage wear to edges; title page with header block of calligraphic thuluth script in triangular block and several notes in different hands; each page with typically 21 lines of dense naskh script text in black with red underscoring and subdivision marks; occasional marginal notes and footnotes; one quire partly detached; extensive marginal wear to last few pages; copyist unnamed. 379 grams, 13.3 x 18.3 cm



From an important family collection started in the late 1950s. Property of a West London, UK, gentleman. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12274-220412.

The text is 'Muthir algharam ala ziarat alqus w alshaam' (a book on history describing the journey to Jerusalem and the Levant) by Imam Jamal al-Din Abu Mahmoud Ahmad bin Muhammad Ibn Hilal al-Maqdisi al-Shafi'i who died in 765 A.H. (1363 A.D.). The copy is dated to 899 A.H. (1464 A.D.).

Including tabular, oblate, biconvex, polyhedral and other beads in glass, lapis lazuli, shell, serpentine and other materials. 290 grams total, 1-27 mm



Ex London, UK, collection, 1990s.