Presentation Box & Illuminated Scroll for Islamic Scholar & Scottish Colonial Administrator Sir William Muir

This beautiful sandalwood presentation box with fine, pierced silver mounts inscribed to ‘Sir William Muir KCSI’ contains a long stiffened and polished paper scroll, beautifully illuminated in blue, gold and other colours, and with 43 lines of fine, handwritten Arabic script thanking Muir for his service. The illumination work comprises borders on all sides of the scroll.

The scroll thanks Sir William Muir for his service in India from his grateful admirers. It is not dated but can be assumed to date to between 1867 (when Muir was knighted) and 1876 (when he left India).

The illumination work is in the tradition of the finest Indian Koran illumination work, befitting a career colonial civil servant who was also one of the leading Islamic scholars of his generation.

The box itself is long, and rectangular with a slightly domed, hinged lid. It closes tightly and the closing mechanism is released with the push of a small silver button. All edges of the box and encased is silver bands.

The box and scroll are in fine condition.

About Sir William Muir

Muir (1819-1905)) was a Scottish Islamic scholar and a colonial administrator, rising in 1868 to be lieutenant-governor of the North-West Provinces of British India. He had entered the Bengal civil service in  1837, and served as secretary to the governor of the North-West Provinces, and as a member of the Agra revenue board.  He was in charge of the intelligence department during the Indian Mutiny (1857–58 ). In 1865 he was made foreign secretary to the Indian Government. He was knighted in 1867.

Muir founded Muir Central College in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) in northern India, which was later merged with the University of Allahabad.

Muir was a prolific author on the history of Islam, particularly of the period of Muhammad and the early caliphate. His published books included A Life of Mahomet and History of Islam to the Era of the Hegira; Annals of the Early Caliphate; The Caliphate: Its rise, decline and fall; and The Koran: its Composition and Teaching.

He married Elizabeth Huntly (1822–1897), daughter of James Wemyss, collector of Cawnpore, and together they had 15 children.

 

Above: Sir William Muir