How to buy Traditional bookbinding (Sahhafi)

• Under magnification, hand-painted work shows brushstrokes; prints show dot patterns.
• Gold on genuine illumination is applied by hand and catches the light unevenly.
• Check the paper: handmade paper has an irregular texture and edges.

Typical materials: leather, paper, lacquer.

• 'Giclée', 'art print' or 'reproduction' in the listing.
• Paintings on photo paper.
• Old-looking pages with modern printed text.

A genuine Traditional bookbinding (Sahhafi) piece should come with a named place of making in Iran (often isfahan, tabriz, shiraz) and a clear statement that it is handmade.

• Is this an original or a print?
• Who is the artist, and is it signed?
• What pigments and paper were used?

• Frame behind UV-filtering glass.
• Keep out of direct sunlight and away from damp.
• Handle with clean, dry hands at the edges.

• Store flat in acid-free folders.
• Keep humidity stable.

Ship flat between rigid boards, or rolled only if the maker agrees.

This guide is educational. It cannot confirm that any particular object is genuine, old or valuable. For important purchases, ask an independent specialist. Read the full Traditional bookbinding (Sahhafi) entry.