This decorative silver pen case would have been a luxury item and a status symbol. It held reed pens, as well as a knife and small board for cutting nibs. The owner would have worn it tucked in the sash at his waist.
Grand containers for pens and ink were a source of prestige for members of the Ottoman bureaucracy. The pot contained a pad of silk floss soaked in ink.
Physical description
Silver and parcel gilt pen case, engraved and set with a stone. Maker's stamp of Rumi.
Place of Origin
Cairo, Egypt (probably, made)
Date
1750-1850 (made)
Artist/maker
Unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Silver and parcel gilding, engraved and set with a precious stone
Dimensions
Length: 29 cm, Diameter: 5.4 cm, Depth: 7 cm
Descriptive line
Silver pen case and ink pot for an Ottoman official, Egypt (probably Cairo), 1750-1850.
Labels and date
Silver Pen Case and Ink Pot
Egypt, probably Cairo
1750-1850
Grand containers for pens and ink were a source of prestige for members of the Ottoman bureaucracy. They wore this type tucked in the sash at their waist. The pot contained a pad of silk floss soaked in ink. The case held reed pens, as well as a knife and small board for cutting nibs.
Silver, partly gilt, gemstone. Maker's stamp of Rumi
Museum no. 1117-1869 [Jameel Gallery]
4, 5 Pen Cases
Egypt, probably Cairo
1750–1850 and 1800–1850
Grand containers for pens and ink were a source of prestige for members of the Ottoman bureaucracy. They would have been worn tucked into the sash around the waist. The pot contained a pad of silk floss soaked in ink. The case held reed pens, as well as a knife and a small board for cutting nibs.
Silver, partly gilded, and gemstone. Maker’s stamp of Rumi (4). Ivory with metal mounts. Signed on the base by Muhammad Salih (5)
Museum nos. 1117-1869, 649-1883
Jameel Gallery
[20/09/2012]
Production Note
Maker's stamp of Rumi.
Materials
Silver
Techniques
Engraving; Gilding
Categories
Metalwork; Africa
Collection code
MES
