SIGNED AHMAD/MUHAMMAD (?), QAJAR IRAN, DATED AH 1271⁄6 (1855/6 OR 1860⁄61AD) OR AH 1251⁄6 (1835/6 OR 1840⁄41AD) (?)

Details

A QAJAR LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ PENCASE (QALAMDAN)
SIGNED AHMAD/MUHAMMAD (?), QAJAR IRAN, DATED AH 1271⁄6 (1855/6 OR 1860⁄61AD) OR AH 1251⁄6 (1835/6 OR 1840⁄41AD) (?)
With rounded ends and sliding tray, the top decorated with a scene depicting the Battle of Chaldiran, the sides with pastoral scenes and the underside and vertical edges of the tray with a gold floral motifs against a red ground
9 1⁄2in. (24cm.) long

Special notice

This lot is offered without reserve. The USA prohibits the purchase by US persons of Iranian-origin “works of conventional craftsmanship” such as carpets, textiles, decorative objects, and scientific instruments. The US sanctions apply to US persons regardless of the location of the transaction or the shipping intentions of the US person. For this reason, Christie’s will not accept bids by US persons on this lot. Non-US persons wishing to import this lot into the USA are advised that they will need to apply for an OFAC licence and that this can take many months to be granted.

Brought to you by

Barney Bartlett Junior Specialist

bbartlett@christies.com +44 (0) 791 769 5730

Lot Essay

The scene on top of this pencase depicts events from the Battle of Chaldiran, fought between the Ottoman and Safavid armies in 1514. We see the Safavid Shah Isma’il I (r.1501-24) gallantly riding ahead of his army and cleaving the Agha of the Janissaries in two, right in front of the Ottoman Sultan Selim I (r.1512-20). Despite this scene, the Safavid army was to lose the Battle with the defeat being of significant historical importance. Whilst fielding far greater numbers than their Safavid counterparts, it was the use of artillery by the Ottoman army that dictated the outcome, and the cannon can be seen in background of the scene.
Although Chaldiran was a crushing defeat for the Safavids, depictions of the battle were popular, especially in the 19th century. A large mural of the battle can be seen on the walls of the Chihil Sotoun Palace in Isfahan. A very similar pencase bearing the same scene, attributed to Mirza Baba or Sayyid Mirza and dated AH 1200 (1785-6 AD), is in the Khalili Collection (Part 1, cat.123).

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