An imperial order, or farman, from the time of Shah 'Alam II, dated 1776

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"FIRMAN. Period of Shah 'Alam, Mughal India, AH 1 Dhu'l Qa'da, 7th regnal year/12 December 1776 AD. Persian manuscript on cream paper, 9ll. of black nasta'liq with large seal impression of Shah 'Alam above dated 1173 next to gold tughra, a further gold inscription above, mounted, framed and glazed Document 44 x 18¾in. (111.8 x 47.2cm.).

Lot Notes: This firman concerns the allocation of 10,500 dam, a small amount of money, from one Islam Negar. The tughra reads: firman-e abu'l muzaffar jalal al-din muhammad shah 'alam padshah-e ghazi (The edict of Abu'l Muzaffar Jalal al-Din Muhammad Shah 'Alam, the triumphant King).The reign of Shah 'Alam II began in the year 1173/1759 and he ruled until 1221/1806 with one brief interruption. The seal impression is dated in his first regnal year, 1173/1759-60."