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UK auctioneers withdraw 'smuggled Quran' sale

Planned auction of rare 16th century Quran drew criticism from Turkish government

25.10.2017 - Update : 25.10.2017
UK auctioneers withdraw 'smuggled Quran' sale

LONDON

A British auction house has withdrawn the planned sale of an ancient copy of the Quran that had sparked complaints from the Turkish government.

The decision by London-based Christie’s came a day before an auction of Islamic art which included the rare 16th century copy of the Islamic holy book.

In a statement on Wednesday to Anadolu Agency, Christie’s said they had “withdrawn lot 203 from the sale of Islamic Art and we are in discussions with relevant parties about the object”.

The auctioneers did not elaborate on the reasons for their cancellation of the planned sale.

In a formal letter, Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministry earlier this week requested the auctioneers halt the sale of the manuscript.

Turkish officials believe the book was smuggled out of Turkey illegally.

The 500-year-old artefact had been signed by Ottoman calligrapher Mustafa Dede and was estimated by Christie’s to fetch a price of between £120,000 and £180,000 ($157,200-$237,000).

Its celebrated calligrapher, Mustafa Dede, was the son of Sheikh Hamdullah. Mustafa Dede travelled to Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage, as well as to Cairo to study the works of his father but spent most of his life in Istanbul.

Other works by Dede include copies of the Quran in the Topkapi Palace Museum and Suleymaniye Library, both in Istanbul.

Another Quran by Dede from Istanbul’s Rare Books Library was sold at auction in Sotheby’s in London in October 2014.

Reporting by Ahmet Gurhan Kartal; Writing by Ahmet Gurhan Kartal,Sibel Ugurlu;

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