TURKEY, CIRCA 1800

细节

AN OTTOMAN TORTOISESHELL OVERLAID TUBULAR TRAVELLING PENCASE
TURKEY, CIRCA 1800
In two sections, each with brass ring mounts above and below the tortoiseshell surface, one end with a pronounced ivory domed terminal with central coral bead, the other end flat, the tortoiseshell surface completely plain save for five small mother-of-pearl inlaid letters reading "huwa" (He [God] is), the two parts separating in the centre to reveal the pen-container, the upper domed end unscrewing to show the sand sprinkler, the lower end pulling out to reveal the inkwell with double screw caps to avoid leakage, generally very good condition
12 3/8in. (31.4cm.) long

注意事项

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

拍品专文

The form of this pencase is very similar indeed to that of the document holder in the preceding lot. While a few other comparable pencases are known, they are much rarer than the document cases. One other pencase, decorated in lacquer with spiralling designs, was formerly in the Edwin Binney Collection (Edwin Binney 3rd: Turkish Treasures, Portland, 1979, no.109, pp.172-3). Another very similar lacquer example in the Sadberk Hanim Museum bears an inscription dated 1185/1771-2 AD. A third, this time in ebony, was sold at Sotheby's, 16 April 1986, lot 220. None appeared to have the sand sprinkler set into the top that is found in this example.

The quality of workmanship in the current pencase is very good indeed. The overlap between the tortoiseshell as it is wrapped around the cylindsrical body is almost invisible. And the words huwa are beautifully set into the curved surface