Lot 179: Mirʾāt al-Arwāḥ in the Science of Arabic Morphology,...
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Mirʾāt al-Arwāḥ in the Science of Arabic Morphology, with al-ʿAwāmil al-Naḥwiyyah, Gilded Treasury Copy, Dated 1160 AH.
An illuminated Arabic manuscript of Mirʾāt al-Arwāḥ (“The Mirror of Spirits”), a treatise in the science of Arabic morphology (ṣarf) attributed to Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī ibn Masʿūd. The volume is accompanied by the grammatical text al-ʿAwāmil (“The Grammatical Factors”), forming a scholarly compilation devoted to foundational studies of Arabic linguistic structure.
This copy was written in 1160 AH (1747 CE) by the calligrapher Muḥammad Muḥammad, known as Nafṣ Zādeh, as recorded in the manuscript. Executed as a refined treasury example, the work is presented in an elegant naskh hand in black ink, with rubrication in red for headings, key terms, and structural divisions.
The opening pages feature a finely illuminated headpiece with gold ground and vegetal ornament, framed panels outlined in gold, and carefully ruled red borders. Throughout the manuscript, the text is enclosed within gilt frames, reflecting its status as a high-quality presentation copy. One page includes a distinctive triangular calligraphic panel in red ink, further enhancing its decorative character.
Approximately
Provenance: Private collection from a distinguished W London collector.
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