Friday 1 May 2026
An illustrated copy of Mir Ghulam Hassan Dehlvi : Sihr al-Bayan, the enchantment of story...
View More
An illustrated copy of Mir Ghulam Hassan Dehlvi : Sihr al-Bayan, the enchantment of story...
Price Realised: £34,040
Estimate: £2,000 - £3,000
Get Shipping QuoteSee shipping conditions on our partner's website.
Price realised is hammer price plus fees (31.2% Buyers Premium inclusive of VAT).
Lot 91
Description
An illustrated copy of Mir Ghulam Hassan Dehlvi : Sihr al-Bayan, the enchantment of story telling (the story of prince Benazir and princess Badr-i Munir),
signed Ghulam Hussein, dated Jamadi al-Awal 1214AH/1799AD,
Black ink and opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, 95ff., 2fl., 13ll. of black nasta’liq script arranged in 2col. to the page, 35 illustrations, the text panels within thin gold margins ruled in black, blue and red, the chapter headings in red nasta'liq script within plain rectangular cartouches, some illustrated scenes with protagonists identified in black script, later burgundy binding, blue marble paper-like sheets applied to each boards, defective, spine lacking, loose text block, water staining, most folios patched,
22 x 16cm.
Provenance:
Private UK Collection
Lot Footnotes
Mir Hasan Dihlavi is one of the most notable poet of the 18th century. Delhi born, he spent most of his life at the court of the nawab of Awadh, Asaf al-Dawla, for and to whom he wrote and dedicated the long poem, Sihr al-Bayan. It tells of the love of prince Benazir, Marukh, and princess Badr-i Munir.
One night, Marukh, a fairy, flies over Benazir and falls in love with him. She abducts him and keeps him in her palace. Seeing him always sad she offers him a horse that he could ride anywhere. Marukh expressly mentions he can do so only if he returns to her and, of course, forgoes his love for Badr-i Munir. Benazir cannot bring himself to forget Badr-i Munir, flees and meets her. Hearing of their meeting, Marukh, resorts to have Benazir thrown in a well as punishment. Distraught and alarmed after having foreseen the event in her dream, Badr-i Munir calls upon her friend Najm al-Nisa to seek Benazir and bring him back to her. Najm al-Nisa, with the help of Firoz Shah, the king of jinns with whom she fells in love, frees Benazir and reunites the two lovers.
Mir Hasan is most well known for Sihr al-Bayan, the versified story of Badr-i Munir and Benazir. However, he wrote extensively and produced eleven more masnavis, a Persian poetic form. Sihr al-Bayan illustrate how the Persian tradition permeated the subcontinent and Urdu, as a language, was masterly articulated by author like Mir Hasan to equal their past and contemporaneous Persian peers.
Illustrations :
6r : A kneeling portrait of possibly Mir Hasan Dihlavi or of the copist
6v : An enthroned portrait of Alam Padshah Ghazi
10r : Revealing al-Dawla's dream to Haydar Iqbal
11v : Benazir or his parents and attendants in a private garden
15v : Benazir's father enthroned and petitioned
19r : Birth of Benazir
22r : A maiden, possibly Badr-i Munir in a garden
23r : -
24v : The fairy Marukh and Benazir in a pavillion
27r : Benazir in procession
30r : Benazir and Marukh on a palace roof
32v : -
34v : Benazir is tended to
41r : Badr-i Munir in her garden
44r : Benazir and Badr-i Munir in a pavillion
49v : Benazir and Badr-i Munir on a couch
51r : A jinn flies over the couple
52v : -
53r : A demon captures Benazir
54r : Benazir is dropped into a well
56v : Badr-i Munir converses with companions
59v : Badr-i Munir is consoled by companions
66v : Music is played to console Badr-i Munir - Najm al-Nisa reassures her she will look for Benazir
70r : Najm al-Nisa tells Firoz Shah, the king of jinns, about sending for Benazir
71r : He hears her plea
75v : -
77r : Badr-i Munir is recomforted
80r : Badr-i Munir and Benazir are reunited
82v : Badr-i Munir and Benazir and Najm al-Nisa,
84v : Badr-i Munir and Benazir together under a canopy
88r : A procession, possibly the wedding of Najm al-Nisa with Fairoz Shah the king of jinns
89v : Badr-i Munir and Benazir receive the visit of Najm al-Nisa and Fairoz Shah
90r : Benazir entertained
91r : The jinns at the well freeing Benazir
92r : Najm al-Nisa receives a fairy and Benazir after his release
Fees & VAT
Buyer's Premium
The buyer shall pay the hammer price together with a premium thereon of 26% up to £20,000 (31.2% inclusive of VAT), 25% from £20,001 - £500,000 (30% inclusive of VAT), 20% from £500,001 thereafter (24% inclusive of VAT). The premium price is subject to VAT at the standard rate.
VAT
VAT is not charged on the hammer price unless it is stated that there is 'VAT applicable on the hammer price at the end of the description. Buyer's premium is subject to VAT.(ARR) - ARTIST'S RESALE RIGHT
Qualifying living artists and the descendants of artists deceased within the last 70 years are entitled to receive a re-sale royalty each time their work is bought through an auction house or art market professional.
It applies to lots with hammer value over £1,000 as follows:
0 to £50,000 - 4%
£50,000.01 to £200,000 - 3%
£200,000.01 to £350,000 - 1%
£350,000.01 to £500,000 - 0.5%
Exceeding £500,000 - 0.25%
ARR is capped at £12,500
Please note ARR is calculated in euros. Auctioneers will apply current exchange rates.
Export of goods
Buyers intending to export goods should ascertain whether an export licence is required before bidding. Export licences are issued by Arts Council England and application forms can be obtained from its Export Licensing Unit. Details can be found on the ACE website www.artscouncil.org.uk or by phoning ACE on 020 7973 5188. The need for import licences varies from country to country and you should acquaint yourself with all relevant local requirements and provisions before bidding. The refusal of any such licences shall not permit the cancelling of any sale nor allow any delay in making full payment for the lot.
Own a similar item?
Request a ValuationReceive alerts about similar lots
Get StartedContinue Browsing
LOT 92
A calligraphic panel (levha), Signed Mehmet Shafiq, dated AH 1275/1858 AD, Arabic manuscript on...
Estimate: £800 - £1200
LOT 93
An illuminated quatrain, Kashmir, north India, late 18th/early 19th century, Black ink and gold...
Estimate: £300 - £400
LOT 94
A Qur'an folio, Surat al-naml (XXVIII): 55-59North Africa or Andalusia, circa 1300 Arabic...
Estimate: £1500 - £2500
LOT 95
A Qur’an, Afsharid Iran, by al-Hajji Muhammad Mohsen bin Muhammad Saleh al-Isfahani for Ashraf...
Estimate: £3000 - £5000
LOT 96
A philological commentary on the grammar of the Qur’an, al-juz’ al-thani min Kitab al-tibyan fī...
Estimate: £400 - £600
LOT 97
A detached illustrated folio from a Persian epic: Giv charges into battle against PiranSafavid...
Estimate: £100 - £200
LOT 98
Amir Khushro : the Tale of Four Derwishes (Qissa Chahar Dervish), and a copy of the 14th-century...
Estimate: £300 - £500
LOT 99
An Iznik pottery dish, Ottoman Turkey, first half 17th century, Of typical form on short...
Estimate: £1500 - £2000
LOT 100
An Iznik-style pottery jug, Cantagalli, Italy, 19th century, On short foot, the rounded body...
Estimate: £1500 - £2000
LOT 101
A selection of passages from the Qur’an, beginning with Surah al-‘Anam,Ottoman Empire, circa...
Estimate: £3000 - £5000
LOT 102
A coral inset filigree belt buckle, Ottoman Turkey of provinces, second half 19th century, With...
Estimate: £600 - £1000
LOT 103
A damascened steel knife and fork, Ottoman Turkey, 19th century, The knife's handle and rounded...
Estimate: £1000 - £1500
LOT 104
A parcel gilt silver filigree applied coffee pot, Ottoman Turkey or provinces, 19th century, On...
Estimate: £500 - £700
LOT 105
A copper alloy lidded bowl (kapakli sahan), Ottoman Turkey, third quarter 19th century or...
Estimate: £800 - £1200
LOT 106
Five sherbet spoons, Ottoman Turkey, late 19th century Each with horn bowl, one with bone stem...
Estimate: £600 - £800
LOT 107
A filigree and open work mounted belt buckle,Possibly Armenia, Ottoman provinces, late 19th...
Estimate: £200 - £300
Telephone Bid
Commission / Absentee Bid
Newsletter Signup
Keyword Alerts
Would you like to receive personalised keyword alerts when new catalogues go live. If so, please indicate these below
Set a password to save your keyword alerts
Passwords are a minimum of 7 characters and must include an upper case letter, a lower case letter, a number and a special character (e.g., !@#$%^&*).
Thank you for signing up for email notifications.
Thank you, your preferences have been saved and a "lite" account has been created for you. Should you wish to buy or sell with Roseberys, please login to create a "full" account.
Return to homepage Create an account Login
Newsletter
