A very fine Mughal manuscript folio illuminated with birds, India, circa 1600, Persian manuscript on paper, with 10ll. of black nasta'liq text arranged in two columns and divided in three panels arranged in 3, 5 and 2 lines, two delicately painted blue birds below the first panel and two birds below the second on a very delicate ground of gold flowers, within green rule, outer pink, blue and yellow borders, mounted on a coral album folio, folio15.8 x 9.5cm, page 28.6 x 18.4cm. The very finely decorated folio is obviously the work of a master. Paintings of small birds are often seen decorating the works of the famous Mughal calligrapher Muhammad Husayn Kashmiri ‘Zarrin Qalam’. This folio compares favourably to a copy of Nizami’s Khulasat al-Khamsa signed by Muhammad Husayn and dated 1603-04AD which was decorated with similar birds and which sold at Christie’s, London, 26 April 2018, lot 130. Good overall, album page with light water staining