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Pen Box and Inkwell Thumbnail
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Pen Box and Inkwell

Iranian (?) (Artist)
late 12th century
copper alloy and silver
(Islamic World )

The wish found in the inscription: "Glory, prosperity, wealth, happiness, well-being and abundance" is formally expressed in the engraved decoration by a hexagram, at this time a symbol common to Islam and Christianity as well as Judaism. For Muslims it was associated with the potent sign on Solomon's seal (rather than David's shield), the magical power of whose shape could draw down divine protection.

Inscription

[Translation] Glory, prosperity, wealth, happiness, well-being, and abundance

Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.

Dikran Kelekian, New York and Paris [date of acquisition unknown], by purchase; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1917, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

Exhibitions

1995 The Allure of Bronze. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore.
1984-1985 Illuminated Manuscripts: Masterpieces in Miniature. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore.
1940 Exhibition of Persian Art. Iranian Institute, New York.

Conservation

Date Description Narrative
Examination Examined for display; cleaned
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Geographies

(Place of Origin) Iran, Hamadan (Place of Discovery)

Measurements

H: 1 13/16 × W: 11 7/8 × D: 3 1/8 in. (4.6 × 30.2 × 7.9 cm)

Credit Line

Acquired by Henry Walters, 1917

Location in Museum

Centre Street: Fourth Floor: Across Asia - Arts of Asia and the Islamic World

Accession Number

In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.

54.450

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Hours

  • Wednesday—Sunday: 10 a.m.—5 p.m.
  • Thursday: 1–8 p.m.
  • Monday—Tuesday: Closed

Location

600 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD
21201

Phone

410-547-9000

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