A FINE QAJAR CARNELIAN SEAL
Iran, 19th century

The rectangular deep red carnelian flat stone elegantly engraved in nasta’liq calligraphy in reverse, with a line of Persian poetry in praise of the Mahdi and his protection, mounted in a sumptuous four-sided pyramidal silver handle, hung onto a hinged crown-shaped silver top, the sides finely engraved in turn in scrolling motifs, with birds and floral sprays, the shorter sides with a repeating triangular grid pattern, the top culminating in an engraved pseudo-Sassanian crown, applied with finely pierced decorated brass buti and arabesque motifs, stamped ‘Amal’ and ‘Ghulam’ on the top, the stone 3.5cm x 5.9cm, the overall height 9cm with the setting.

The piercing of precious metals in objects of religious significance follows the sumptuary rule banning an object made of either silver or gold to hold liquids.