* FIVE SMALL QAJAR LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ LIDDED BOXES
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE EUROPEAN COLLECTOR
Iran, mid to late 19th century

Each lacquered, polychrome-painted and heightened in gold, comprising two shoe-shaped boxes, one with a pair of young lovers against a lush landscape, each side of the shoe decorated with a floral bloom of roses, narcissi, irises, carnations and daisies, the back of the shoe with a gilt cusped cartouche signed by Kamtarin Ahmad Ibn Mirza Hossein and dated 1251AH (1835), 9cm long, contained in a square pouch of ivory satin silk, worked in gold, green and puce metallic spangles in a lattice pattern, the border with a sinuous floral design, folded and stitched to form an envelope pouch, in later maroon lining, with protective white outer net, 20cm x 12.5 when open, 10.5cm x 12.5 when closed; and a similarly-shaped box with a lithographed portrait of a seated man, wearing a termeh coat and tall astrakhan fur kaj-kolah, the sides with floral decoration in gold and red, 8.5cm long; and three rectangular boxes, one with a Mother and Child scene, 8cm x 2.5cm; another with two lovers in a Persian interior with Chinese export porcelains and two pairs observing them in the background, 7cm x 2cm; and the last one with the typical gol-o-bolbol motif, 9.5cm x 3cm.