A very fine Khorasan silver-inlaid bronze Inkwell signed bin As'ad al-Nishaburi and inscribed with the name Abu'l Ma'ali Mawdud ibn Ahmad Persia, circa 1200A very fine Khorasan silver-inlaid bronze Inkwell signed bin As'ad al-Nishaburi and inscribed with the name Abu'l Ma'ali Mawdud ibn Ahmad Persia, circa 1200of slightly waisted cylindrical form with three hinged handles of palmette form, the lid with central domed section surmounted by globular finial and three suspension loops to side, profusely engraved and decorated in silver and copper inlay with an interlaced lattice forming cartouches of eight-pointed stellar form engraved with birds and scrolling foliate vines, the top of the lid with a band of inscription in naskh and two further engraved inscriptions, the base with a roundel containing a bird within a six-pointed star surrounded by three cartouches with geometric and vegetal interlace, the inner rim with three cartouches filled with inscriptions in kufic interspersed by roundels filled with geometric decoration 11.5 cm. high; 9.4 cm. diam. Inscriptions: around the top of the lid lid, ... al-ajall al-'alim al-mu'tamin (?) ziya' al-din mu'ayyid al-islam safi sultan al-salatin (?) al-dawlah sharaf al-mulk mukhtar al-muluk fakhr al-ma'ali pesar-e (?) khurasan abu'l-ma'ali mawdud bin ahmad ..., '... the most splendid, the learned, the trusted, the light of religion, the helper of Islam, the bright Sultan of (all) sultans of the dominion, the honour of kingdom, the one chosen by kings, the pride of eminences, the son of Khurasan, Abu'l-Ma'li Mawdud bin Ahmad ...' signed; 'The work of ... bin As'ad al-Nishaburi'; to the inner rim, bi'l-yumn wa al-birr wa al-birr/ wa al-barakah wawa al-barakah wa al-birr, 'With good fortune and piety and piety and blessing and blessing and piety'.It is likely that the Nobleman whose name appears on the present lot is the same Amir al-'Adil Mawdud ibn Ahmad al-'Asami to whom an ode by Anwari (d.1189) is dedicated. A comparable but unsigned inkwell is a in the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto, (inv. no. AKM605).Important Notice to BuyersSome countries e.g., the US, prohibit or restrict the purchase by its citizens (wherever located) and/or the import of certain types of Iranian-origin works. As a convenience to buyers, Bonhams has marked with the symbol R all lots of Iranian (Persian) origin. It is each buyer's responsibility to ensure that they do not bid or import a lot in contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes that apply to them.