£800 - £1,200
A PERSIAN QAJAR LACQUERED PAPIER-MACHE PEN BOX QALAMDAN, 19TH CENTURY
This Persian pen case, known as a qalamdan, is of traditional elongated form with rounded ends and a sliding interior drawer. The object is constructed from papier-mache, decorated with hand-painted polychrome pigments, and finished with a protective layer of lacquer. The top surface features a dense narrative landscape populated by numerous figures in various poses and dress, including European-style costumes characteristic of the Farangi-sazi style popular during the Qajar era. The landscape includes stylized trees, rolling hills, and architectural elements such as a bridge and several buildings. The long side panels continue the figurative narrative; one panel depicts a group of figures in a garden setting near classical-style ruins, while the opposite panel shows figures engaged in outdoor activities near a building with a prominent tower. The underside of the outer shell is decorated with a repeating, dense pattern of scrolling foliate and floral motifs in gold-colored pigment against a dark reddish-brown ground, enclosed within a double-line border. The sliding interior compartment is finished in a plain dark color.
L: 22cm
Fees apply to the hammer price:
Free Registration
33.6% inc VAT*
Flat Fee Registration
30.00% inc VAT*
