Matthew Thomas
Senior Specialist
Lot 62R
A Qajar lacquer penbox (qalamdan) depicting young dervishes, possibly by Sani' al-Mulk Persia, 19th Century
26 October 2020, 11:00 GMT
London, New Bond StreetSold for £1,785 inc. premium
Looking for a similar item?
Our Islamic and Indian Art specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.
Find your local specialistAsk about this lot
A Qajar lacquer penbox (qalamdan) depicting young dervishes, possibly by Sani' al-Mulk
Persia, 19th Century
Persia, 19th Century
with rounded ends and sliding tray, decorated in polychrome and gilt with a central cartouche to the top depicting young dervishes with a teacher, the sides with floral sprays with perching birds and portrait medallions, the base and sides of the inner tray with interlaces of vines and bunches of grapes
23.6 cm. long
23.6 cm. long
Footnotes
Provenance
Private UK collection.
Inscriptions: ' ... Sani' al-Mu[l]k (or al-Mul[k]) AH 1282 (AD 1865-6)'.
Abu'l-Hasan Khan Ghaffari, Sani' al-Mulk (also known as Abu'l-Hasan ii) went to Italy circa AH 1262 (AD 1845-6) studying and copying the works of Italian masters in various museums in Rome, Florence and Venice. On his return, he completed the murals in the Nizamiyyah Hall for Aqa Khan Nuri I'timad al-Saltanah in 1273 (1856-7). He was put in charge of the publication of Government official Periodicals, in which he painted portraits of figures and events of the time and was titled Sani' al-Mulk on 10 Dhi'l-qa'adah 1277 (20 May 1861). He opened the School of Painting in Tehran in AH 1278 (AD 1862-3). His works include portraits of Muhammad Shah, Nasir al-Din Shah, nobles and officials, but he is best known for his illustrations of the One Thousand and One Nights, now in the Gulistan Palace Library in Tehran. His recorded works are dated between AH 1258 (AD 1842-3) and AH 1276 (AD 1859-60). The exact date of his death is not recorded, but given as sometime in AH 1283 (AD 1866-7), which would make this pen box his latest recorded work.
Important Notice to Buyers
Some countries e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of Iranian-origin works. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.