Three Persian calligraphies in nasta'liq shekasteh, Iran, 18th-19th century Calligraphies on paper, the Persian text in nasta'liq shekasteh in black ink. Mounted in album pages on cardboard and framed with several polychrome or gilded borders. A siyah mashq calligraphic exercise signed and dated 1766, several lines of Persian words and names inscribed in various directions. Signed Abdul Majid and dated 1180 H/1766; a folio of a recto-verso poetic manuscript with ten lines of text in black ink, a few terms in red ink, in cloud-like reserves on a gold background, in two columns separated by a band illuminated with gold floral scrolls. The whole surrounded by a margin illuminated with hatayi decoration in two golds; a calligraphy of nine lines of text inscribed in cloudy reserves on a gold background. Calligraphy sizes: 14.3 x 9.3 cm, 18.5 x 9.4 cm, 13.1 x 7.2 cm; total sizes: 29 x 18.2 cm, 25.2 x 17.4 cm, 24.3 x 15.7 cm Folds, stains, foxing, small tears at edge of second, wear. The calligrapher who signed the first composition in this lot appears to be Darvish Abdul Majid Taleghani (1737/8-1771/2), an eminent 18th-century Iranian calligrapher and master of the shekasteh form of nasta'liq applied here. Several of his works are known, including a calligraphy in the Metropolitan Museum, New York (46.126.4). Three Persian Calligraphies in Nasta'liq Shekasteh, Iran, 18th-19th century Collection of M. A. Z. - 1960 to 1980 (by descent) - lots 238 to 252