Two lacquered bookcovers signed by Ahmad al-Nayrizi Persia, dated AH 1132/ AD 1719-20(2)Two lacquered bookcovers signed by Ahmad al-Nayrizi Persia, dated AH 1132/ AD 1719-20painted and gilded lacquer, front and back covers, separated, each decorated to the exterior with various repeated floral motifs, with a border of cartouches with inscriptions in naskhi, on a burgundy ground with foliate interlace, to the interior a central floral spray on a red ground with a border of foliate scrollwork on a black ground each 31.5 x 19.8 cm.(2)Inscriptions: sayings of the Prophet, Imam Ja'far Sadiq, and Imam Riza on the properties of reciting prayers, copied by Ahmad al-Nayrizi in AH 1132 (AD 1719-20).Ahmad al-Nayrizi was one of the most famous and prolific naskhi scribes and calligrapher of the late Safavid and early Afsharid period, mainly copying Qur'ans and prayer books, many of which are kept in the Gulistan Palace Library. Despite his fame, very little is known about him other than that he moved from his hometown Nayriz to Isfahan sometime before AH 1107 (AD 1695-6) and became the royal calligrapher of the Safavid Shah Sultan Husayn (r.1105-35/1694-1722). Because of this position, he then signed 'al-Sultani'. His recorded work is dated between AH 1087 (AD 1676-7) and AH 1150 (AD 1737-8) (See Mehdi Bayani, ahval va athar-e khosh-navisan, vol. 4, Tehran, AH 1358 (AD 1979), pp. 19-31). For the latest critical research on Ahmad Nayrizi, see M.H Semsar, 'Ahmad Nayrizi', The Great Islamic Encyclopaedia, vol. VII, Tehran, 1998, pp. 100-108.For examples of two lacquer bookcovers and one mirrorcase by al-Nayrizi, see N. D. Khalili, B. W. Robinson, T. Stanley, Lacquer of the Islamic Lands: Part One, London 1996, pp. 152-155, nos. 115, 116, 117.Important Notice to BuyersSome countries e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of Iranian-origin works. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.