* A GROUP OF FOUR QAJAR BUST STUDIES
PROPERTY OF AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE EUROPEAN COLLECTOR
Iran, mid to late 19th century

Pen, pencil, light white wash and ink on paper, each portrait depicting a Qajar gentleman wearing a tall black astrakhan-fur kaj kolah hat, comprising an idealised youth framed within quatrains of nasta’liq poetry in diagonal format, inscribed in Persian 'the likeness of Iskandar Beg 1270AH (1853)', the composition set within illuminated silver borders, in modern mount, 25cm x 16cm, 30cm x 22cm including the mount; another inscribed 'Ya Sadegh al Wa’deh 1189AH (1775)', in double illuminated border, laid on red board, 34cm x 24cm; another similar, on purple board, 34cm x 23.5cm; and a smaller portrait of an elderly man wearing a striped coat, inscribed 'the work of Abdullah Khan', stamped 'the work of Ali Quli', within a geometric border, laid on green board, 10cm x 6.5cm, 30cm x 19.5cm including the mount.