* SIX DECORATED DECOUPAGED BORDERS FROM THE NASIR AL-DIN SHAH ALBUM
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE EUROPEAN COLLECTOR
Qajar Iran, c. 1888

Each of rectangular shape, the centre hollow to fit with an illustration and muraqqa page, the polychrome album borders decorated with découpage, marbled, tooled, embossed paper, heightened in gold and silver, each slightly different and intricately illuminated in polychrome whimsical geometric designs, each 43.5cm x 29cm.

A comparison between this group and a few lots sold at auctions in London with similar extravagant borders, attributed to the Nasir al-Din Shah Album, (Christie's London, 6 October 2011, lot 265; Christie's South Kensington, 26 April 2012, lot 219; and Sotheby's London, 9 October 2013, lot 5) becomes unavoidable. From the point of view of the material, the whimsical style, the use of bold colours, the quality of découpage, and of the 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, believed to have been produced to mark the 40th anniversary of his accession to the throne.