A qalamdan pen box decorated with sages, Iran qajar, 19th centuryPaper-mâché with polychrome and gilded decoration, then lacquered, depicting figures arranged singly or in pairs in medallions of palmettes, most of them captioned in black ink in cursive characters. Gilded floral decoration on a black background on the sides of the inner compartment and under the outer case. Length: 22.5 cmEnd broken and reattached, some chips, cracked lacquer . A polychrome lacquer papier-mâché pen case, Qajar Iran, 19th century