A Qajar lacquer penbox (qalamdan) by Ibrahim, Persia, late 19th/early 20th Century

with rounded ends and sliding tray, decorated in polychrome and gilt with a lady carrying a dervish on her back to the top and further figural scenes to the sides, the base with an interlace of vines, the sides of the inner tray with further scrolling floral vines
22.3 cm. long.

Provenance
Private UK collection.

Inscriptions: raqam-e Ibrahim, 'Painted by Ibrahim'.

According to Karimzadeh Tabrizi, Ibrahim was born in Isfahan and was a pupil of 'Abbas Shirazi (painter of lot number 67). He worked on lacquer, enamelling and manuscript illustrations and signed in various manners. Some of his recorded works are dated between AH 1325 (AD 1907-8) and AH 1331 (AD. 1912-3). See M. A. Karimzadeh Tabrizi, The Lives & Art of Old Painters of Iran, vol. 1, London, 1985, pp. 12-14 and Khalili, Robinson and Stanley, Lacquer of the Islamic Lands, Part Two, 1997, cat. nos. 490-4 and p. 264, nos. 490-4 for examples of his different signatures.

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