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Lot 95
  • 95

A Large Lacquer Pen Box, Signed Muhammad Isma'il, Persia, Qajar, dated 1280 AH/1863 AD

Estimate
15,000 - 25,000 GBP
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Description

  • Lacquer
of rectangular form, with sliding tray, the main body top decorated with a central cartouche enclosing a landscape, signature and date in small lozenge cartouches above and below, flanked by two female portraits, the side cartouches depicting battle scenes and the figure of Nasr Al-Din Shah with further male and female portraits, the underside with large scrolling vines, the tray sides with corresponding decoration, plain underside, interior lip with maker's stamp 

Condition

In good overall condition, small loss to bacl upper left edge, a few minor abrasions to inner sliding tray, generally clean and good condition, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

inscriptions

raqam-e kamtarin bandegan-e dargah muhammad isma'il naqqash-bashi-ye dar al-saltanah-ye esfahan 1280

'Drawn by the smallest servants of the court, Muhammad Isma'il, the Chief Painter of Capital Isfahan 1280 AH/1863-4 AD'

The embossed seal impression of the case maker reads: 'His [God's] hoping servant, Muhammad Javad 1272 AH/1855 AD'

Muhammad Isma'il was one of the leading painters of the Qajar period, active between 1840 and 1871. Various other lacquer pieces depicting battle scenes are known by the artist, and it has been suggested that Muhammad Isma'il took European depictions of famous battles as his model. Indeed the Chihil Sutun palace in Isfahan houses some of the greatest large historical oil paintings in Iran and it was here that the artist was found residing in the early 1860s by the traveller John Ussher (see N.D. Khalili, B.W. Robinson & T. Stanley [Eds.], Lacquer of the Islamic Lands, Part Two, London, 1997, p.46, for a further discusion of the artist).

For other pen boxes made by Muhammad Javad, see Khalili et al, op.cit., p.258. A remarkably similar pen box to the present piece, also by Muhammad Isma'il, was sold at Christie's, 6 October 2009, lot.151.