A VERY FINE PAIR OF LACQUER BOOK-COVERS

QAJRA IRAN, LATE 19TH CENTURY

Details

A VERY FINE PAIR OF LACQUER BOOK-COVERS
QAJRA IRAN, LATE 19TH CENTURY
Each cover of rectangular form, finely painted with an eight-pointed medallion in the centre formed by interlocking floral arabesques, the cream ground worked with floral scrolls, bordered with geometric bands and floral meanders, the doublures with gilt foliage over light blue ground, bound together with a band of red morocco
Each cover 7 3/8 x 4½in. (18.8 x 11.4cm.)

Literature

B.W. Robinson, Persian Lacquer at Bernheimer Fine Arts Ltd., London, 1986, cat.38, p.40.

Exhibited

Persian Lacquer, Bernheimer Fine Arts Ltd, London, 1986

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Lot Essay

The illuminator and calligrapher Razi specialized in this kind of work. He was employed by Sydney Churchill on several occasions in the 1880s, and the Victoria and Albert Museum has a large sample card of his, showing the various types of illumination in which he excelled.

A large lacquer table top made for Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar and dated AH 1302/1884-85 AD displays a very similar style of decoration. The same manner appears again on the album covers commissioned by Nasir al-Din Shah as a presentation gift to Tsar Alexander II of Russia which confirm the quality and luxury of the decorative motif and workmanship illustrated so elegantly by these book-covers.

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