Colorful Illuminated Manuscript - Siddur: Prayers and Piyyutim - Sana'a, 1941

Manuscript siddur containing prayers and piyyutim (liturgical poems) for various times. Sana'a, 1941.
Colorful manuscript, artistically illuminated. Neat Yemenite script, with decorated titles and initials and decorations at the ends of passages, in shades of red, green and brown. Colorful illustrations in a number of places: architectural title pages with floral and vegetal decorations, illustrations of birds, rosettes and other illustrations.
The manuscript includes: Seder Sefirat HaOmer (in Aramaic, as is the custom of Yemenite Jews), prayers for Rosh Chodesh, blessing over the new moon, blessings over the Chanukah lamp, "for Purim", Psalms for each day of the week, Song of Songs, Shabbat prayers, Shabbat eve Kiddush, Havdalah for the end of Shabbat with piyyutim, and Ashmurot.
"Seder HaAshmurot" has a separate title page, which contains the name of the writer, place and year: "Written in Sana'a for… Yichye… ben Suleiman ben Yosef Badichi… by me, the young Shalom ben Yichye ben Chaim ben Yosef Korach… Friday 27th Elul 1941".
The scribe and illustrator, R. Shalom ben Yichye Korach (1873-1953), was a scholar and educator, and the scribe of the community of Sana'a. In 1946 he was appointed dean of the new Jewish school in Sana'a, together with Chief Rabbi Amram Korach. He moved to Israel in 1950 and settled in Jerusalem. He authored several works and transcribed many others. He was known for his artistic talent, and books which he transcribed are known for their beauty as well as for their clarity and precision. See: Gavra, Encyclopedia of Yemenite Scholars, p. 566.
95 leaves (2 blank). 18 cm. Good condition. High-quality paper. Stains. Mild worming, without textual damage. Several stains due to ink spreading. Original binding, damaged.