An early 20th century Persian (Iranian) silver filigree dressing table jar, Zanjan circa 1920 marked Ja’far

An early 20^th century Persian (Iranian) silver filigree dressing table jar, Zanjan circa 1920 marked Ja’far

Qajar period. Of cylindrical form with a pull off disc lid, glass lined. Filigree bands with applied baubles. Marked underneath with workshop/retailer’s mark عمل جعفر (Amal-e Ja'far | the work of Ja’far). Together with a scent bottle of near identical decoration, unmarked. (2)

Jar height – 9.4 cm / 3.7 inches

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.

On rare occasions Ja’far marks are found upon filigree items typical of Zanjan, aiding the notion that items were retailed by Ja’far as well.