Three Qajar gold damascened steel fruits presented by Reza Shah Pahlavi (reg. 1925-1941) Persia, dated AH 1325/ AD 1907-1908(3)Three Qajar gold damascened steel fruits presented by Reza Shah Pahlavi (reg. 1925-1941) Persia, dated AH 1325/ AD 1907-1908comprising a pomegranate, a quince and a pear, each of naturalistic form, with leaves sprouting from the stalks, variously decorated in gold overlay with inscriptions and lobed cartouches containing foliate interlace, the leaves with damascened veins the tallest 16.5 cm. high(3)ProvenanceGifted to Consulate Jan Karszo-Siedlewski by Reza Shah Pahlavi (reg. 1925-1941) between 1938-1942, and thence by descent.Inscriptions: to one piece a repetition of, farmayesh-e aqa-ye shaykh al-'iraqayn sanah 1325, 'The order of Mr Shaykh al-'Iraqayn, the year 1325 (1907-08).' To the other two pieces, the same text, separated.Jan Karszo-Siedlewski (1891-1955) was a Polish diplomat and consular officer. The present lot was gifted to Jan Karszo-Siedlewski between 1938 and 1942, when he served as 'envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary in Iran and Iraq, based in Tehran.' After this time, he headed the General Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Beirut until 1943, before leaving for the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in London (the Polish government in exile). After World War II he remained in exile, living in the United States and working at the Free Europe Committee and the Library of Congress. His decorations included the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (2nd May 1923) and the Commander's Cross with the Star of the Order of the Crown (Romania, 1937).A similar example of a damascened pomegranate dated to the 19th Century is in the Nasser D. Khalili Collection (see M. Spink, Brasses, Bronze and Silver of the Islamic Lands, Volume XI, Part Four, London, 2022, p. 1324. cat. 845). These steel replicas of fruit may have derived from the tradition established from the Safavid period onwards of positioning fruit on carpets during social gatherings (ibid. p. 1318).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.