*A QAJAR LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ PEN CASE ( QALAMDAN ) PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION Iran, 19th century With rounded ends and sliding tray, the top painted with a horizontally arranged oval composition with a gentleman and attendants before a sage consulting graphs and charts and an astrolabe, flanked by rose bushes and birds in gold monochrome against a black ground, the sides with distant settlements in idealised landscapes, each side with portrait medallions, the base and underside in black lacquer with gold rules with sinuous patterns, 21.6cm x 3.4cm x 3.5cm.