A LARGE QAJAR LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ CASKET
Iran, early 19th century

Of typical rectangular shape, resting on four rectangular feet on each corner, the lid casket-shaped and without hinges, polychrome-painted and heightened with gold, the decorative Leitmotif of this casket an homage to Qajar hunting scenes, the lid with Fath Ali Shah and his courtiers hunting and slaying a lion, the shoulders of the lid decorated with miniature roundels with Qajar courtly ladies' portraits alternating hunting scenes with bears, gazelles, deer and antelope, the base with similar but larger hunting scenes interspersed with arabesque medallions filled with golden trellis, the interior of the lid with another large central panel with Fath Ali Shah hunting a deer on his white steed, more sporting scenes of the same kind all around the central panel, encased within a late Japanese fabric-lined rectangular box, 43.5cm x 30cm x 22.5cm.

Provenance: purchased by the current owner in Hong Kong in the 1970s whilst he was based there.

Similar caskets, with more common motifs such as gul-o-bolbol and scenes from Persian literary works, have successfully sold at Christie's London, 26 October 2017, lot 115 and 26 April 2018, lot 95.