Isfahan circa 1910 by Ja’far
A large early 20th century Persian (Iranian) silver photograph frame

Qajar dynasty. of shaped rectangular form with outstepped corners, the oval aperture with a ovolo surround, each edge with a cut lunette rim. The body with engraved ghalam zani decoration of densely populated courtly scenes of figures depicting four majlis (gatherings / banquets), the figures in various various pursuits such as taking libations, paying the barnat and other musical instrument, some on horseback such a Khosrow above a seated female figure as Shirin the attendant besides here holding a robe. The field quartered with four shaped cartouches with nastaliq calligraphy reading; Majlis of Shah Abbas, Majlis of Sheikh San’an, Majlis of Ma’mas (or Abbas), and Majlis of Khosrow and Shirin. The ovolo surround of the aperture with engraved trailing foliage populated with nightingales (gol-o bolbol). The easel backing with a shaped strut. Marked twice to the strut with workshop mark عمل جعفر (Amal-e Ja'far | the work of Ja’far).

Height – 32.7 cm / 12.8 inches

Length – 26 cm / 10.25 inches

Aperture length – 20.8 cm / 8.1 inches

Weight – 427 grams / 13.73 ozt

There is a significant corpus of silverware marked for Ja’far, the range of wares covering tea sets and trays, cigarette boxes, beakers, chargers, condiments, card cases and cocktail shakers. Dated examples are known from at least the 1920’s yet the style of the decoration can be associated with the very end of the 19^th century until the 1930’s. There are two main groups of decoration for wares marked Ja’far; those with figures, drawn upon Safavid paintings either shown in courtly group scenes with musicians or as individuals, then there are those with dense foliage populated with nightingales gol-o bolbol. It is probable that Ja’far was both a manufacturing workshop and a retailer, silver bearing this mark is seen in both Isfahan style engraving and the chased figural work of Shiraz. Some of the finest wares combine both these styles on the same piece suggesting that Shirazi craftsmen may have been employed in Isfahan. There is only one version of the Amal-e Ja’far mark, evidently the first encameo cut steel punch used in Persian silverware, this is an uncommon occurrence in proficient silver producers as punches do soften and even break over time.