TWO QAJAR LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ MIRROR CASES
Iran, 19th century

Comprising a mirror case of typical rectangular shape, the front delicately painted with a recurrent gol-o-bolbol motif (the nightingale in the rose bush), flanked by hyacinths, carnations, a violet, and a small moth, set within concentric floral borders, the back presenting a similar motif, the reverse of the front cover with an idealised portrait of Imam 'Ali with a large halo, seated in an interior on a woven palm leaf floor mat referring to his humility, holding his sword on his lap, the Zulfiqar, in front of him a book, probably his Nahj ul Balagha, the mirror plate with a cut-out lobed niche showcasing the black and white portrait of a bearded Arab nobleman, a domed cityscape, palm tree and camel in the background, the quatrefoil cartouche in the right corner signed by 'the Master Efendi', written in Persian shikasteh nasta'liq script and attributing the image to the Prophet, Muhammad ibn Abdullah, with an old auction reference sticker, 23cm x 15cm; and another similar, the front, back and reverse of the front all presenting panels with minor variations of the typical gol-o-bolbol motif, 21.5cm x 14cm.

Provenance (Imam 'Ali's mirror case): Unknown Auction (possibly Sotheby's tag), 27 April 1994, lot 302.