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Lot Essay
This box would have been made for a merchant who traded in jewellery or precious metals. Tool boxes decorated with lacquer were produced in Iran from the 18th century onwards. The outside of our box depicts a sunburst motif with a central portrait of a Qajar lady, surrounded by twelve radiating petals containing the zodiac signs. This design is known as khurshid khanum (Lady Sun), and was a popular decorative motif on a range of media during the Qajar period. The facial features of our khurshid khanum are very realistic, with elongated gazing eyes, distinct beauty marks and delicate lips, and could have perhaps been based on an actual person. This motif is surrounded by a mirroring gul-u-bulbul on each side. The sides bear a similar pattern, but only of roses within cartouches. Opening the lid reveals the top of the box which is decorated with scrolling grape-vine motif in gold against a deep red ground. The base is also decorated in a similar pattern with four later stud feet to each corner.
The style in which the gul-u-bulbul design of our box has been executed resembles that of the 18th century Qajar painter 'Ali Ashraf, who was trained by the master Muhammad Zaman. ‘Ali Ashraf is celebrated for his production of lacquered objects with fine gul-u-bulbul or just flower designs, which were either set within a medallion or confined to internal surfaces as seen on our box (Stanley, 1996, pp. 72-77). Amongst ‘Ali’s famous students was Muhammad Baqir, who was also famous for his gul-u-bulbul paintings. Although our box is not signed, it can be attributed to the school of ‘Ali Ashraf and his student Muhammad Baqir. Almost all the instruments in our box have been stamped with the seal of the maker, Hashim, who has been noted as one of the chief metal workers and scale makers during the Qajar period (Tanavoli,1387 sh., p.24).
For a lacquered vanity box signed by ‘Ali Ashraf sold at auction see Christie’s, London, 6 October 2011, lot 266. For similar gul-u-bulbul lacquered objects in the Khalili collection by ‘Ali Ashraf and his students see, Stanley, 1996, p.73, pl. 64 and p.84-85 pl. 52. For other box of scales in the Khalili collection see Maddison, 1997, pp.402-404. pl.379 and 380.
The style in which the gul-u-bulbul design of our box has been executed resembles that of the 18th century Qajar painter 'Ali Ashraf, who was trained by the master Muhammad Zaman. ‘Ali Ashraf is celebrated for his production of lacquered objects with fine gul-u-bulbul or just flower designs, which were either set within a medallion or confined to internal surfaces as seen on our box (Stanley, 1996, pp. 72-77). Amongst ‘Ali’s famous students was Muhammad Baqir, who was also famous for his gul-u-bulbul paintings. Although our box is not signed, it can be attributed to the school of ‘Ali Ashraf and his student Muhammad Baqir. Almost all the instruments in our box have been stamped with the seal of the maker, Hashim, who has been noted as one of the chief metal workers and scale makers during the Qajar period (Tanavoli,1387 sh., p.24).
For a lacquered vanity box signed by ‘Ali Ashraf sold at auction see Christie’s, London, 6 October 2011, lot 266. For similar gul-u-bulbul lacquered objects in the Khalili collection by ‘Ali Ashraf and his students see, Stanley, 1996, p.73, pl. 64 and p.84-85 pl. 52. For other box of scales in the Khalili collection see Maddison, 1997, pp.402-404. pl.379 and 380.