Bibliographic list of the 9 stolen manuscripts books from İstanbul Hacı Selim Ağa Library

1- Collection No:4

thuluth-naskhscript.
HOLY QUR’AN
417 folios, 12 lines, size: 411x283, 285x155mm. Copied in naskh script with vowel marks, the two pages facing one another in the begininnig are framed in dark blue, with simple illumination, the borders, signs indicating the ends of verses and the headings of the suras are illuminated.The binding is in perfect condition.

2-Collection No:5

HOLY QUR’AN
321 folios, 12 lines, size: 395x260, 243x135mm,the zahriye(frontispiece) and serlevha (symmetrical double-page illumination opening a Qur’an) pages facing one another are ornamented with designs in navy blue, the interlinear parts, sura headings, the signs of hizip and cüz ( a thirtieth part of the Qur’an ) are illuminated. There is a hatim duası (prayer after the repetition of the whole Qur’an at the end)

3-Collection No:6

HOLY QUR’AN
348 folios, 12 lines, size: 415x270, 245x140mm, copied by Habibullah Hüsnü Şirazi, two pages each of zahriye and serlevha are ornamented in dark blue excellently, illuminated sura headings, the hizip and cüz signs, dots indicating the ends of the verses are illuminated, the beginning of Sura Bakara is also illuminated.
The last six pages of the Qur’an are also ornamented , gilded and copied in Persian in the İranian style.
Binding: Both covers have excellent shamsa designs and cornerpieces. The binmding is completely gilded. “Ayet el-Kürsi” is written on the borders and “İnnallahe ve Melaiketehu” is copied on the flap.

4-Collection No: 9

HOLY QUR’AN
With 12 lines on each page. On line is in gold ink and the other is in dark blue. İt was endoved by Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi Efendi.

5-Collection No: 16

HOLY QUR’AN
165 folios, 23 lines, size: 240x178, 205x120mm, , copied in Kufi script. It consists of that part of the Holy Qur’an starting from Sura Kehf up to the end, namely it is the second half. One folio is missing from the end .
Binding: Brown leather binding with cold stamp and flap.It is worn out.

6-Collection No: 17

HOLY QUR’AN
216 folios, 350x230 mm. It was copied by a Persian calligrapher called Hacı Gıyaseddin Muhammet et-Tebrizi in 992 A.H./1584 A.D.in thuluth script. It is an illuminated book with a beautiful binding.

7-Collection No: 18

HOLY QUR’AN
254folios, size: 350x240mm. mNurettin Muhammet b. Hüseyin in 976 A.H./1568A.D. copied it in thuluth-naskhscript. The binding asnd gilding are in Persian style.

8-Collection No: 22

HOLY QUR’AN
A cüz from the Holy Qur’an. 55 folios 5 lines. Size:400x280, 350x230mm. It was copied in Mosul in 710A.H./1310A.D. by Ali b. Muhammet el-Hüseyin in jaly thuluth script. Each line is gilt in gold. Vowelmarks are in black ink.The colophon is written in naskh script in gold ink anmd contains the following:”Ketebe hazel-cüzü ve ma kablehu minel eczai”.

It has two colophons. The binding has shamsa designs and a flap.

9-Collection No: 23

HOLY QUR’AN
424 folios11 lines. Size: 395x270,285x150mm. It was copied in Naskh and thuluth-script by Muhammet Defteri in 1024A.H. /1615 A.D. İN İstanbul. Pages 1 and 2 are ornamented with the design of a niche, arrows with flowers and surrounded by pointed semi-domes. They are illuminated with gold ink on a dark blue background. The serlevhas contain verses from Fatiha and Sura Bakara as well as the Suras of Fatiha and Elif Lam Mim written in white lead. Thick gold lines seperate the interlinear spaces. On the frontispiece one reads (El Cüzül Evveli Min Kelamillahil-kadim vel-Kur’anil-azim: Innehu Lekur’anün Kerimün fi Kitabin-Meknun Layemessuhu illel Mutahharun Tenzilün min Rabbil alemin) which is written on a gold background in gold ink and thuluth script. Sura headings are ornamented in four colors and illuminated finely. The suras are written on a gold background in white lead. The books are illuminated by gilded floral motifs,ornamented with arrows and indicating the thirty cüzes, excellent arrow motifs indicating the Aşr,Hizb and Secde signs, miniaturehearts gilded in gold as well as circles ornamented with flowers and wheels. All these pieces of ornamentation were made by the greatest masters of the age in an unequalled way. The borders are completely gilded.

At the and of the HolyQur’an there is a short index indicating the letters of secavend(marks of subdivision in the manuscript of a Qur’an).

In the big circle gilded with gold and ornamented flowers where the name of the calligrapher is written one sees the following:(Elhamdüllillahi alet-tamam ve salli ala Muhammedin ve alihi ve sahbihi kiram. Kad vakaal’ferağmin tahriri Kelamullah Kadim fi evahiri şehri Muharremül-Haram fi sene erbaaişrin ve elf min yedil-abdüz-zayif el-muhtaç ila rahmeti rabbihil latif Muhammed El-Defteri timar mai kalemi harrare fil-medinetil-Konstantiniyye Ufiye anhül-afeti vel-beliye ).This colophon is written in thuluth script in gold ink.

This Qur’an, which was copied and gilded in İstanbul, is a masterpiece of Otoman art.

Binding:It is gilded and ornamented with star motifs, gilded flowers, shamsa designs, cornerpieces and chain motifs. The iner part of the binding consists of engraved motifs, gilded arrows, shamsa designs and cornerpieces with floral designs.