Not currently on display at the V&A

Seal

1750-1850
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Six sided black magnetite seal set in silver with a religious inscription in Arabic.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Black magnetite
Brief description
A black hexagonal tablet of magnetite, engraved in nasta‘liq calligraphy with:
اعوذ بجلال الله اعوز بکلمات الله اعوز برسول الله
I seek refuge in god, in gods words and in gods prophet
On the sides:
یا احمد یا محمد
Ya Mohammad, Ya Ahmad
(O Mohammad, O Ahmad)
The stone is framed in silver with a closed back, with two hooks on either side for a strap / chain.

Physical description
Seal. Black magnetite, six- sided, set in silver with loop for suspension, engraved with Arabic religious inscription, possibly Iran, c.1750-1850
Dimensions
  • Depth: 0.8cm
  • Width: 4.0cm
  • Length: 2.6cm
Object history
Bought from the collection of Gaston de Saint-Maurice (1831-1905) in 1884. Saint-Maurice displayed his extensive art collection at the 1878 Paris exhibition, in a gallery entitled L'Egypte des Khalifes. This was part of an official sequence of displays celebrating the history of Egypt, presented by the Egyptian state at this international event. Saint-Maurice held a position at the Khedival court, and had lived in Cairo in 1868-1878. Following the exhibition, Saint-Maurice offered his collection for sale to the South Kensington Museum (today the V&A).
Production
Saracenic
Associations
Summary
Six sided black magnetite seal set in silver with a religious inscription in Arabic.
Bibliographic reference
List of Objects in the Art Division, South Kensington Museum acquired during the Year 1884. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1885. pp.92
Collection
Accession number
963-1884

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Record createdJuly 30, 2008
Record URL
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