Box - papier-mâché - lacquer - Qalamdan - early 20th century
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Selected by Surya Rutten
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Estimate € 150 - € 200
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Qalamdan plumier in lacquered papier‑mâché, of Indian origin (Kashmir region), dating to the early 20th century (1900–1910), measuring 21 × 4 × 4 cm, in good condition with minor signs of aging.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Plumier with figurative decoration
Early 20th century
Region of Kashmir
Lacquered and painted papier-mâché
Dimensions: 21 × 4 × 4 cm
Plumier (qalamdan) elongated in lacquered and polychrome papier-mâché, composed of a case and a sliding lid. The upper face presents several turbanned figures seated in a stylized vegetal landscape, arranged on either side of a central tree.
The composition and iconography bear witness to the influence of Persian and Qajar painting on Kashmiri workshops, where the production of painted and lacquered papier-mâché objects developed particularly significantly. The figures with black outlines, bold colors and the decorative treatment of vegetation combine Persian vocabulary with Kashmiri pictorial tradition.
The sides are adorned with a continuous frieze of foliate scrolls and multicolored floral buttons on a gold background. The interior, simply treated in black, contrasts with the richness of the exterior decoration. The form derives directly from Persian qalamdans designed to hold calami and writing instruments.
Condition:
Wear, rubbing, cracks and small losses to the lacquer and to the polychromy. Figurative decoration largely preserved and legible.
Provenance: Kanaka The Collection
Sent with UPS and insured
Plumier with figurative decoration
Early 20th century
Region of Kashmir
Lacquered and painted papier-mâché
Dimensions: 21 × 4 × 4 cm
Plumier (qalamdan) elongated in lacquered and polychrome papier-mâché, composed of a case and a sliding lid. The upper face presents several turbanned figures seated in a stylized vegetal landscape, arranged on either side of a central tree.
The composition and iconography bear witness to the influence of Persian and Qajar painting on Kashmiri workshops, where the production of painted and lacquered papier-mâché objects developed particularly significantly. The figures with black outlines, bold colors and the decorative treatment of vegetation combine Persian vocabulary with Kashmiri pictorial tradition.
The sides are adorned with a continuous frieze of foliate scrolls and multicolored floral buttons on a gold background. The interior, simply treated in black, contrasts with the richness of the exterior decoration. The form derives directly from Persian qalamdans designed to hold calami and writing instruments.
Condition:
Wear, rubbing, cracks and small losses to the lacquer and to the polychromy. Figurative decoration largely preserved and legible.
Provenance: Kanaka The Collection
Sent with UPS and insured
Details
Era
1900-2000
Title additional information
Qalamdan - early 20th century
Number of objects
1
Country of origin
India
Material
papier-mâché - lacquer
Condition
Good condition - used with small signs of ageing
Height
4 cm
Width
21 cm
Depth
4 cm
Estimated period
1900-1910
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