AN ILLUMINATED OTTOMAN QURAN BY KETTANIZADE ALI EFENDI, OTTOMAN TURKEY, 1088 AH/1774 AD

A complete Quran, Arabic manuscript on cream paper, each page with 13 lines written in black naskh script within gold and black rules, gold roundel verse markers outlined in polychrome dots. Surah headings in red thuluth script, red marginal notes indicating the 'Juz'. Opening folio heavily with gilt and polychrome decoration framing 6 lines of black naskh script in clouds reserved against a pricked gold ground. Final folio signed by 'written by Kettanizade in 1088 AH/1774 AD' within a gilt and polychrome decorated ground. In brown morocco binding with flap decorated with gold painted central medallion and border. 12 by 18 cm. THE CALLIGRAPHER Student of Şeyh Hamdullah school in the six scripts, he was born in Istanbul and died 1192 AH/1778 AD. He is buried in Istanbul. He was named 'Kettanizade' after his father, Hacı Mehmed Efendi, who was the steward of the chain makers. He used to live around the Kaariye Mosque. He learned the thuluth and naskh scripts from Hüseyin Habli and received his certificate in 1138 AH /1725 AD. Sheikh's son Mustafa used to write in the Dede valley and imitate him. He wrote heavily. He wrote three Qurans, about twenty Dela’il al-Khayrat, En’am sharif and Evrad. He was also a Tughra callighrapher, archer and musician, belonged to the Naqshbandi order. He died of jaundice. His sons were also calligraphers.