TWO ENGRAVED SILVER TALISMANIC ACCESSORIES
Possibly Iran or Afghanistan, 20th century

Comprising a faceted cylindrical talismanic scroll pendant, with rounded terminals and three fitted loops on one side, the body engraved with cusped cartouches filled with crude naskh inscriptions presenting four verses from Sura 114 (An-Nas), flanked by cartouches bearing the names of Muhammad and Ali, 7.7cm long; and an octagonal bazuband Qur'an case containing an incomplete printed miniature Qur'an, the hinged top decorated with alternating bands of Quranic inscriptions from the Ayat al-Kursi (v. 255) from Sura 2 (Al-Baqara), and stylised vegetal patterns, in the centre an octagonal star medallion with further inscriptions, the case fitted with two arabesque loops on the sides, 5cm at widest points.