Lot 108R
A group of nine photographs, depicting Muzaffar al-Din Shah Qajar (reg. 1896-1907) on a hunting trip with members of his retinue, and a portrait of a Minister of State Qajar Persia, late 1890s/early 1900s, one from the 1870s(5)
Amended
25 October 2021, 11:00 BST
London, New Bond Street£4,000 - £6,000
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A group of nine photographs, depicting Muzaffar al-Din Shah Qajar (reg. 1896-1907) on a hunting trip with members of his retinue, and a portrait of a Minister of State
Qajar Persia, late 1890s/early 1900s, one from the 1870s
Qajar Persia, late 1890s/early 1900s, one from the 1870s
nine albumen prints laid down on five card mounts, two hunting scenes per mount, one studio portrait mounted separately, each mount with handwritten Persian inscriptions in nasta'liq script
photographs 128 x 200 mm. and slightly smaller; studio portrait 210 x 172 mm.; mounts 415 x 333 mm.(5)
photographs 128 x 200 mm. and slightly smaller; studio portrait 210 x 172 mm.; mounts 415 x 333 mm.(5)
Footnotes
The photographs are as follows:
1. Two photographs of Muzaffar al-Din Shah out hunting: one in which he is pictured looking through a telescope is labelled: timthal-e mobarak-e homayun dar shekargah-e jajarud, 'The blessed effigy of the Monarch in the Hunting place of Jajarud'. The lower photograph: timthal-e bi-methal-e homayun ba haji mu'tamid al-dawlah va sayerin dar shekargah-e jajarud, 'The unparalleled effigy of the Monarch with Haji Mu'tamid al-Dawlah and others in the Hunting place of Jajarud'.
2. Two photographs, the first depicting Muzaffar al-Din Shah seated with a group of men and boys standing behind him, with no caption. The second depicts the Shah with four men picknicking outdoors with a samovar and plates of fruit. The caption reads: Haji haydar-e marhum, 'The deceased Haji Haydar'.
3. Two photographs of the retinue standing in front of their tents, the first depicting the Shah seated in a tent, inspecting pheasant he has killed; the second with a horseman and several other men seated outside a tent: the caption reads Shoja' al-molk ast keh savar ast, 'It is Shoja' al-Mulk on the horse'.
4. Two photographs, the first depicting a horse-drawn carriage, labelled: agha ebrahim-e kuchak-e marhum ast keh bar bala-ye kaleskeh-ye makhsus-e homayuni neshasteh ast, 'It is the deceased Agha Ibrahim, the young, who is sitting on top of the special Royal carriage'. The second depicts a large group of musicians, with clarinets or oboes, drums and brass instruments. The caption reads: muzikan-chiyan-e dawlat-e osmani ast, 'It is the musicians of the Ottoman government'.
5. A studio portrait, with the inscription reading: marhum-e mirza davud khan vazir-e lashgar nuri, 'The deceased Mirza Davud Khan Nuri, the Army Minister'. The Minister died in AH 1296/AD 1879, and therefore the photograph was probably taken in the 1870s.
There is an album of photographs in the Gulistan Palace Library, depicting Muzaffar al-Din Shah on his hunting trips between AH 1314/AD 1896-97) and AH 1320/AD 1902-03.
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.
Saleroom notices
Please note that the photographs depict Nasr al-Din Shah Qajar, and not Muzaffar al-Din Shah as stated in the catalogue, and can therefore be dated prior to 1896.