A QAJARLACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ PEN CASE (QALAMDAN)Iran, dated 1290 AH (1873)With rounded ends and sliding tray, the top and sides with figural horizontal compositions, painted in polychromes and heightened with gold against light ground, nine roundels with portraits of European ladies and men, one lady in particular wearing a typical Balkan costume, interspersed with several crowded scenes celebrating calligraphers and elevated artists admired by renown princes, each scene with a caption in nasta'liqreferring to the main character of the composition, the edges with Christian compositions with the Holy Family, the central roundel signed and dated the work of the least worthy Haidar Qoli 1290 AH (1873), the underside and internal tray with intricate gilt floral trellis on red and black ground, 23.5cm long.