28th Oct, 2022 11:00
SIX DECORATED DÉCOUPAGED BORDERS FROM THE NASIR AL-DIN SHAH ALBUM
Qajar Iran, c. 1888
Each of rectangular shape, the hollow centre once filled with an illustration or calligraphic composition in the style of muraqqa pages, the polychrome album borders decorated with découpaged, painted, tooled, dyed and embossed paper heightened in gold and silver, each slightly different, one with a pink ground, three with blue grounds, and two with purple grounds, each border intricately illuminated in gold, silver, and polychrome whimsical geometric designs, vegetal sprays and birds, Roman numerals in pencil written on the top corners of each border, each approximately 43.5cm x 29cm.
Two other groups of similar borders attributed to the Nasir al-Din Shah Album, once part of the same private European collection, were successfully sold in these Rooms, 22 July 2020, lot 112, and 29 April 2022, lot 96. Several more examples have been offered in the London auction market in the last ten years (Christie's London, 6 October 2011, lot 265 and 1 April 2021, lot 33; Christie's South Kensington, 26 April 2012, lot 219; and Sotheby's London, 9 October 2013, lot 5).
In terms of material, whimsical decorative style, use of bold colours, quality of découpage, and dimensions, our borders present a strong connection to the others mentioned above, leading to suggest that they also come from the now-dispersed album made for Nasir al-Din Shah (r. 1848 - 96) in 1888, which was produced to mark his 40th anniversary of accession to the throne.
Dimensions: each approximately 43.5cm x 29cm
Sold for £1,000
Includes Buyer's Premium
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