Bidspirit auction | Fine Khorassan Silver-Inlaid Bronze Qalamdan

Fine Khorassan Silver-Inlaid Bronze Qalamdan (Pen Box) with Pierced Sliding Cover, Persian Islamic - This Khorassan Islamic silver-inlaid bronze pen box (qalamdan) is a refined example of medieval Persian metalwork, Cast in bronze and lavishly embellished with silver inlay (koftgari), the elongated rectangular pen case was designed to store reed pens (qalam), while the attached polygonal inkwell with its domed, finial-topped lid held writing ink, reflecting the practical needs of scribes and calligraphers. The pierced sliding cover is exquisitely decorated with intricate openwork arabesques incorporating zoomorphic motifs, including birds and fantastic animals intertwined with scrolling foliage, while the sides of the tubular compartment display finely inlaid friezes of animated animals in procession, a hallmark of Khorassan decorative art. Additional engraved floral and geometric ornament enriches the surfaces, demonstrating the exceptional craftsmanship associated with the metalworking centres of northeastern Iran. Combining elegance with functionality, the qalamdan embodies the high status of literacy, scholarship, and calligraphy in the Islamic world, where writing implements were often produced as luxurious objects for members of the scholarly and administrative elite.