Ancient Coin Review 38 : Sultan Zainal Abidin I ( Menduga 1360 CE)

This is a gold Mas coin from Sultan Ahmad II era. However this coin was stuck for supposedly Sultan-to-be Zainal Abidin. He was then the vice Sultan at Samudra. It's believed the coin struck in Menduga. The coin struck in Menduga generally is bigger and thinner than the one struck by previous Sultans though still weighing 0.6grams. The coin was struck in 1360CE prior to occupation of Samudra-Pasai by Majapahit.
This Sultan Zainal Abidin is a different person than the Sultan who ruled Pasai during 1383-1405CE. He died on the same year of the striking of this coin before ascending the throne.
Some coin collectors suggested that this coin for Sultan Zainal Abidin in Sumatra Kampar.

Obv: As Sultan Al Adil
Rev: Zainal Abidin Malik AtTahir
Weight : 0.57 gm
Dim : 14mm
Date : 1360 CE
Rarity :
Denom : Mas
Material : Gold
Reference : SP 7a pg 150 ( Jaarboek Voor Munt-en Penningkunde)

Ancient Coin Review 37 : Sultan Aladin Bin Ali ( Aceh Sultanate 1537 - 1571 CE)

This is a gold kupang coin from Sultan Aladin era. Sultan Aladin ascended the Achenese throne after dethroning his brother Sultan Salahadin in 1537CE. During his rule, he launched a numerous attacks against Malacca but unsuccessful.

Obv: As Sultan Al Adil
Rev: Aladin bin Ali Malik AtTahir
Weight : 0.60 gm
Dim : 12mm
Date : 1537 - 1571 CE
Rarity :
Denom : Kupang
Material : Gold
Reference : A 6c pg 164 ( Jaarboek Voor Munt-en Penningkunde)

Ancient Coin Review 36 : Sultan Salah bin Ali ( Aceh Sultanate 1530-1537CE)

This is a gold kupang coin from Sultan Salahadin era. Sultan Salahadin ascended the Achenese throne after the death of his father Sultan Ali Mughayat Shah in 1530CE. However according to historian Djajadinigrat, Sultan Salahadin was not interested in governing the empire and was spending more time in pursuing luxury & pleasure. His brother who was a ruler of Samudra, dethroned him and let him die in a dungeon.

Obv: As Sultan Al Adil
Rev: Salah Ibnu Malik AtTahir
Weight : 0.58 gm
Dim : 11mm
Date : 1530 - 1537 CE
Rarity :
Denom : Kupang
Material : Gold
Reference : A 5 pg 162 ( Jaarboek Voor Munt-en Penningkunde)

Ancient Manuscript Review 52 : Antique Ottoman Quran ( 1179AH)

This is a complete Ottoman handwritten Quran. I acquired it from Istanbul sometime in 2005.

Manuscript Specs

Item : A handwritten Ottoman Quran
Content : A complete Quran
Dim : 7.5" x 5" x 1"
Date : 1179 AH ( 1765CE)
Copyist : Anonymous
Origin : Turkey
Calligraphy : Nasqh
Design : Text written in Nasqh script on cream paper with vowel & diacritical signs in black & red. 15 lines per page.The first two pages are plainly decorated.
Purchased Price :USD

Ancient Manuscript Review 51 : Antique Malay Quran Manuscript (18th century)

This is a beautifully written Quran manuscript originated from South East Asia. Its believed to have been written in 18-19th century. This manuscript is written in Malay calligraphy. I acquired this manuscript from a friend in Indonesia quite a while ago.
Manuscript Specs Item : Antique Malay Quran
Manuscript Content : Quran
Dim : 15" x 4" x 1"
Date : 18-19th century
Copyist : anonymous
Origin : South East Asia
Calligraphy : Malay ?
Design : Written in Malay scripts in red & black
Purchased Price :US

Ancient Manuscript Review 50 : Antique Daghestan Quran ( 1165 AH)

This is my another large Daghestan Quran. The first 2 pages are water painted with various colors. This Quran is copied by Ibnu Ismail in 1165 AH. Actually this is a mistaken purchase. I asked a dealer from Lebanon to find for me a Kashmiri Quran which then I didnt have any. So he showed me this Quran and he insisted that it was Kashmiri. I paid quite a good sum for this Quran. However after the purchase, Dr Annable Gallop told me that this Quran is not Kashmiri but Daghestani.
I was a bit dissapointed with this purchase. I purchased a good quality Daghestani Quran before and it costed me 3 times cheaper than this Quran. Yet this Quran is not in a good shape. Very inconsistent handwritings suggesting few scribes or might be a compliation of Quran from other manuscripts. The calligraphy is poor suggesting it was written by a non professional scribe.

The first 2 pages were gilded in gold. However it was obviously a later addition. See below pictures under the lighting panel. I could see similar inscriptions below the gold background. I couldnt understand why someone might have wanted to erase this surah Fateha,glide in gold and rewrite it. If it was done to upgrade the quality and the price, it didnt do well. Definitely these frontispieces lost their beauty with this modifications.

Manuscript Specs

Item : A Handwritten Daghestan Quran
Content : A complete Quran
Dim : 13.5" x 9" x 2.5"
Date : 1165 AH ( 1751 CE))
Copyist : Ibnu Ismail
Origin : Daghestan
Calligraphy : Naskh
Design : Text written in Naskh script on laid paper with vowel & diacritical signs in black and red. 15 lines per page.Margin or most pages were decorated with beautiful floral motive water painted. Leather cover was not original.
Purchased Price :USD

Ancient Manuscript Review 49 : Antique Morocco Dalail Khairat Manuscript

This is an old handwritten manuscript from Morocco titled Dalail Khairat. This manuscript was written in Maghribi script.It was copied probably in 18-19th century.

Manuscript Specs

Item : A Handwritten Dalail Khairat Manuscript
Content : A Prayer Book
Dim : 5" x 4.5" x 1.5"
Date : 18-19th century
Copyist : Unknown
Origin : Morocco
Calligraphy : Maghribi
Design : Text written in Maghribi script on Arabic paper with vowel & diacritical signs in black. 9 lines per page.
Purchased Price :USD

Ancient Manuscript Review 48 : Antique Morocco Quran ( Saadi Dynasty 16-17th century)

This is an old handwritten Quran originally from Morocco of Saadi Dynasty era.It is a complete Quran. It was written in a simple Maghribi calligraphy. This Quran has a colophone on the last leaf however I couldn't read it due to the complexity of this script. The cover was repaired and both interior have beautiful Moroccon motive.

Manuscript Specs

Item : Antique Morocco Quran
Content : A complete Quran
Dim : 8" x 7.5" x 1.0"
Date : 16-17th century
Copyist : indecipherable
Origin : Morocco
Calligraphy : Maghribi
Design : 24 lines written in Maghribi script without border
Purchased Price :US

Ancient Manuscript Review 47 : Etiopian Antique Islamic Manuscript - Minhajul Muslimin

This is an old handwritten manuscript from Etiopia titled Minhajul Muslimin. This manuscript was written in Nasqh script.It was copied probably in 20th century.

Manuscript Specs

Item : A Handwritten Minhajul Muslimin Manuscript
Content : An Islamic Jurisprudence
Dim : 9" x 7" x 1"
Date : 20th century
Copyist : Unknown
Origin : Etiopia
Calligraphy : Nasqh
Design : Text written in Nasqh script on Arabic paper with vowel & diacritical signs in black. 13 lines per page.
Purchased Price :USD

Ancient Manuscript Review 46 : Antique Mughal Sancak - Lithographed Mini Quran ( 1290 AH)

This is a rare lithographed octagonal miniature Quran from India with 631 pages. Originally I posted this entry as an Ottoman Sancak as it was purchased from Turkey and the seller claimed it was Ottoman's product.

However after an inquiry from one of visitors here in regards to the origin of this Quran, I have done more research on this interesting Quran. He has a similar Quran in this website Omanisilver.com Mini Quran
On the colophone page of my Quran here, it was written

قد حصل الفراغ هذا القران المجيد وفرقان الحميد من يد اقل الكتاب محمد جواد في المطبع الحيدرية في سنه ٠ ٩ ٢ ١

"The copying of this Quran Al Majid and Furqan Al Hamid in the hand of Muhammad Jawad produced in Hyderiah Printing House in the year 1290 "

I was not aware of who was this copyist Muhammad Jawad and where was this Printing House identified as Hyderiah.
In the OmaniSilver website, similar Quran was commented by expert from Yale University believing it was a product of Iraq or India.

From a book " Al Quran The Sacred Art of Revelation" published by The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, it has a similar Quran with the same copyist but in a longer name and printed  in 1293 AH publication. See below the snapshot of this book.
The full name of the copyist given as Muhammad Jawad Ibn Mulla Muhammad Musa Kashmiri which I believe the same copyist of the Quran in this entry. The title Kashmiri indicated the copyist originally from Kashmir. The printer house was mentioned as Hyderiah however The IAMM identified it Hyderabad.

Manuscript Specs

Item : Antique Mughal Lithographed Mini Quran
Content : A complete Quran
Dim : 2.25" x 2" x 1"
Date : 1290 AH ( 1869 CE)
Copyist :Muhammad Jawad
Origin :  India
Calligraphy : Naskh
Design : 15 lines written in Naskh
Purchased Price :US

Ancient Manuscript Review 45 : Antique Malay Arabic Manuscript ( 19th century)

This is a beautifully written manuscript about Arabic grammar originated from South East Asia. Its believed to have been written in 19th century. The unique about this manuscript is the type of calligraphy used. I cant fiqure out. Its has strong character especially in waw , ra and mim similar to Bihari & Sini scripts. However in this script, the mim is vertically down. Or shall we call this script Malay script? The paper used is Daluang type, a popular paper making process in Indonesia.
I acquired this manuscript from a friend in Indonesia quite a while ago.

 Manuscript Specs

Item : Antique Malay Arabic Manuscript
Content : Arabic Grammar
Dim : 8" x 6" x 0.5"
Date : 19th century
Copyist : anonymous
Origin : South East Asia
Calligraphy : Malay ?
Design : Written in Malay scripts in red & black with explanation in Arabic language
Purchased Price :US

Ancient Coin Review 35 : Sultan Muhammad Shah I ( 1837 CE) Terengganu Pitis Coin

This is a rare pitis coin from Sultan Muhammad Shah I era. He became the ruler of Terengganu in 1836CE.

Obv: Malik Al Adil 1253 ( The Just Ruler 1253 AH = 1837 CE)
Rev: Blank
Weight : 0.72 gm
Dim : 19mm
Rarity : RRR
Denom : Pitis
Material : Tin
Reference : SS11 ( Saran's pg 164)

Ancient Manuscript Review 44 : Antique Malay Calligraphy Manuscript ( 19th Century)

This is a beautifully written manuscript about Arabic grammar originated from South East Asia. Its believed to have been written in 19th century. The unique about this manuscript is the type of calligraphy used. I cant fiqure out. Its has strong character especially in waw , ra and mim similar to Bihari & Sini scripts. However in this script, the mim is vertically down. Or shall we call this script Malay script?

I acquired this manuscript from a friend in Indonesia quite a while ago.

Manuscript Specs

Item : Antique Malay Arabic Manuscript
Content : Arabic Grammar
Dim : 15" x 4" x 1"
Date : 19th century
Copyist : anonymous
Origin : South East Asia
Calligraphy : Malay ?
Design : Written in Malay scripts in red & black with explanation in Arabic language
Purchased Price :US

Book Review 07 : Arabic Calligraphy in Manuscripts - translated by Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips

Book Info :

Title : Arabic Calligraphy in Manuscripts
Author : King Faizal Centre for Research & Islamic Studies
Publisher : King Faizal Centre for Research & Islamic Studies
Printer : Saudi Arabian Printing Company Ltd.
Pages : 267 pages
ISBN : N/A

Review:

This is a simple yet an excellent resource for Arabic manuscripts collector as well as calligraphy lovers. I saw this book during my visit in Istanbul and lucky had purchased it. It costed me about 50 Lira.
This book was published for the Arabic Calligraphy exhibiton event taken place in Saudi Arabia in 1987.
This is a helpful resource for me in identifying type of calligraphy. For example this book explains how to tell whether the Nastaliq script is written in Persia or India. Almost every page has a picture of sample manuscript with details of the calligraphy.Indexes on last few pages are also very useful detailing all the names of the authors and also the calligraphers which the manuscripts are referred to in the book. Lastly but not the least, I love the picture at the back cover illustrating a tree with different types of calligraphies. Awesome!!

Below is the comment excerpt from Smitskamp Oriental Antiquarium- Netherlands about this book :

"Important exhibition catalogue, with special emphasis on the various styles of Arabic calligraphy. A special chapter, "The art of Arabic calligraphy and its types", by Fauzî Sâlim "Afîfî is added on pp. 23-60.Displayed on the exhibition were manuscripts from Saudi public and private collections, i.a. from the King Faisal Center, the Dâr al-iftâ", the Imâm Muhammad Ibn Sa"ûd Islamic University, and from the collection of the Farfûr family. Most of these manuscripts have not previously been described in printed publications.The responsibility for the selection of the items, and the description of the manuscripts, lay with the Dutch scholars Q. al-Samarrai and P. Sj. van Koningsveld, with the assistance of A. al-Mashyûkhî. At the end, a select bibliography on Arabic script and calligraphy has been added.This is the English version of the catalogue, which appeared in 1986 in Arabic under the title "al-Khatt al-"arabî min khilâl al-makhtûtât"