Persian penbox, or is it?

Drabant1701 · 26th April 2017, 07:34 PM

I have bought my first penbox. The box is about 20 cm long. I have seen painted persian penboxes before but they have never really interested me. Then I saw this steel penbox with gold koftgari and I could not resist it.

I do think that the box i persian but I suppose it could also be from India. I was hoping that someone who sees this could tell me if the script is persian, or some other arabic language so that I could find someone to translate it.

colin henshaw · 26th April 2017, 09:30 PM

Not sure whether Persian or Indian (probably Persian ?), but its a beautiful piece. Congratulations.

Hope another forumite can be more precise and translate.

Battara · 27th April 2017, 01:48 AM

Funny.........I was leaning toward India.

Very nice. Would post pictures of the inside of the box please?

mariusgmioc · 27th April 2017, 04:06 AM

Classic Persian pen boxes are drawer type (I would post some photos but I am now in Persia and travelling around) and made of lacquered wood.

How does yours open?

The script is either Persian or Arabic, but that was also used in the Mughal India. Yet, I don' t know exactly why, but yours doesn't make me think about India. Maybe Caucasus area?!

Anyhow, it is a very beautiful piece but not very old (20th century at best).

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 27th April 2017, 03:06 PM

Islamic Penboxes are such an interesting subject I thought to enlarge upon it since there is a good variety of styles, materials and surface decoration and as already described in the case of Persian types quite a lot of the lacquered form....although bronze brass and precious metal items with intricate inlay also exist.

For a page full of penboxes down the ages see \https://www.google.com/search?biw=13...Saeq-6tknNiUM:

And below...

Drabant1701 · 27th April 2017, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

Funny.........I was leaning toward India.

Very nice. Would post pictures of the inside of the box please?

Thank you all for your comments. I have taken som pictures of the inside of the box. Not as fancy on the inside though

Oliver Pinchot · 27th April 2017, 05:23 PM

It's Ottoman, c. 1850. Nice example

mariusgmioc · 28th April 2017, 05:08 PM

Double message deleted

mariusgmioc · 28th April 2017, 05:10 PM

Thank you Ibrahiim for the photos! They are true works of art!

Thank you Oliver for pinninig it!

26th April 2017, 07:34 PM	#1
Drabant1701 Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Sweden Posts: 181	Persian penbox, or is it? I have bought my first penbox. The box is about 20 cm long. I have seen painted persian penboxes before but they have never really interested me. Then I saw this steel penbox with gold koftgari and I could not resist it. I do think that the box i persian but I suppose it could also be from India. I was hoping that someone who sees this could tell me if the script is persian, or some other arabic language so that I could find someone to translate it. Attached Images

26th April 2017, 09:30 PM	#2
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Not sure whether Persian or Indian (probably Persian ?), but its a beautiful piece. Congratulations. Hope another forumite can be more precise and translate. Last edited by colin henshaw; 27th April 2017 at 08:29 AM.

27th April 2017, 03:06 PM	#5
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Islamic Penboxes are such an interesting subject I thought to enlarge upon it since there is a good variety of styles, materials and surface decoration and as already described in the case of Persian types quite a lot of the lacquered form....although bronze brass and precious metal items with intricate inlay also exist. For a page full of penboxes down the ages see \https://www.google.com/search?biw=13...Saeq-6tknNiUM: And below... Attached Images

28th April 2017, 05:10 PM	#9
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,903	Thank you Ibrahiim for the photos! They are true works of art! Thank you Oliver for pinninig it! Last edited by mariusgmioc; 28th April 2017 at 07:47 PM.

27th April 2017, 01:48 AM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,226	Funny.........I was leaning toward India. Very nice. Would post pictures of the inside of the box please?

27th April 2017, 04:06 AM	#4
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,903	Classic Persian pen boxes are drawer type (I would post some photos but I am now in Persia and travelling around) and made of lacquered wood. How does yours open? The script is either Persian or Arabic, but that was also used in the Mughal India. Yet, I don' t know exactly why, but yours doesn't make me think about India. Maybe Caucasus area?! Anyhow, it is a very beautiful piece but not very old (20th century at best).

27th April 2017, 05:23 PM	#7
Oliver Pinchot Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 457	It's Ottoman, c. 1850. Nice example

28th April 2017, 05:08 PM	#8
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,903	Double message deleted