SIGNED MUHAMMAD SADIQ AL-IMAMI, IRAN, DATED AH 1287/1870-71 AD

Details

A QAJAR PAPIER MACHÉ FLORAL LACQUER PENCASE (QALAMDAN)
SIGNED MUHAMMAD SADIQ AL-IMAMI, IRAN, DATED AH 1287/1870-71 AD
With rounded edges and sliding tray, painted on the sides and top with floral gul-o bulbul design in polychrome lacquer highlighted with gold on dark brown ground, the underside with scrolling floral vine in gold on red ground, the top of the tray with a band of gold scrolling floral vine on black ground, signed and dated raqm kamtarin Muhammad Sadiq al-Imami, 1287 on the top
8 7/8in. (22.6cm.) long

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price and at 20% on the buyer's premium.

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Lot Essay

This pencase was produced by a member of the famous family of lacquer artisans active in Isfahan in the 18th and 19th Centuries known as the Imami workshop. The artisans claimed descent from the Prophet's grandson Husayn and thus used the epithet 'Imami. They were particularly known for their gul-o bulbul compositions such as that found on our pencase (Nasser D. Khalili, B.W. Robinson, and Tim Stanley, Lacquer of the Islamic Lands, Part 2, London, 1997, nos. 292 and 293).

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