Lot 174
174
A MAMLUK SILVER INLAID STEEL PEN CASE, of rectangular form with ridged ends, one serving as an openable cover with attachment loop, one side with traces from the attachment of an inkwell, also with associated attachment loop and ring, both flat surfaces extensively engraved and inlaid with large roundels containing flowerheads alternating with rosettes, inscription borders above and below, the upper side also with inscription cartouches, Syria or the Yemen, 14th/15th century (rubbed and with old damages)

Details
A MAMLUK SILVER INLAID STEEL PEN CASE, of rectangular form with ridged ends, one serving as an openable cover with attachment loop, one side with traces from the attachment of an inkwell, also with associated attachment loop and ring, both flat surfaces extensively engraved and inlaid with large roundels containing flowerheads alternating with rosettes, inscription borders above and below, the upper side also with inscription cartouches, Syria or the Yemen, 14th/15th century (rubbed and with old damages)
13 1/8in. (33.3cm.) long

Lot Essay

The inscriptions are interesting being in verse form composed for this pen-case. Those on the inkwell side are a quadruplet in praise of the inkwell. Those on the other are another quadruplet with longer lines alluding to the Qur'an sura xviii, v.109: If the sea were ink for the words of my Lord, the sea would be spent before the words of my Lord were exhausted. The inscriptions along the upper edge give the name and honorifics of the patron.

It is extremely unusual to find an item of medieval iron or steel work made for secular use. While silver-inlaid armour is well known, the technique used for the inlay here owes more to the bronze working technique of undercutting the edges of the metal to receive the silver rather than hammering silver wire or sheet onto the previously roughened surface of the steel.

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