When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Antique Late 19th Century Near Eastern Qalamdan / Divit Scribe’s Pen Case with Attached Inkwell & Arabic Calligraphy
A highly decorative antique portable writing instrument consisting of an elongated qalamdan/divit pen compartment with an attached inkwell.
The piece is extensively decorated with large stylized Arabic calligraphy, interlaced geometric ornament, circular medallions, scrolling motifs and contrasting metal details. The attached inkwell features a distinctive hinged shell-form lid, while the long compartment was traditionally used to hold reed pens and other writing implements.
Comparative Museum & sale Research
Research has identified several documented late-19th-century examples with notably similar construction and decoration.
A particularly close example in the collection of the Museo Pedro del Río Zañartu is cataloged as a Late 19th Century Syrian pen holder and portable inkwell, made of bronze and silver. That museum example shares several characteristics with this piece, including Arabic calligraphic decoration, an attached inkwell and closely related geometric ornamental panels.
Of particular interest, some of the decorative patterns found on the museum example — including ornament on the inkwell and around the junction between the inkwell and elongated pen case — are closely comparable to patterns visible on the present piece.
Another related example appeared as Lot 377 in Kestenbaum & Company sale 66. That separate piece was cataloged as a Near Eastern scribe’s case dating to approximately 1900, decorated with Arabic engraving and geometric and scrolling ornament. It also featured an attached inkwell with a hinged stylized shell-form lid and measured approximately 8.5 inches in length. The sale estimate for that separate example was $1,000–$1,500.
A further documented sale comparison described as Damascus workmanship, circa 1900, consisted of a pen case and inkwell made from brass with silver and copper inlay. That separate example measured approximately 21.5 cm and recorded an sale sale price of $800.
Museum documentation also identifies related 19th-century Syrian/Ottoman-period metalwork with Arabic calligraphy and geometric decoration as belonging to the broader Mamluk Revival metalworking tradition.
Attribution
Based on its construction, decorative vocabulary, Arabic calligraphy and comparison with documented museum and sale examples, this piece appears consistent with a:
Late 19th Century Near Eastern / Ottoman-era Qalamdan or Divit
A Syrian or Damascus-area origin is possible, based on the close comparative examples described above; however, the precise workshop or geographic origin of this particular piece has not been independently authenticated.
Material
The exact metal composition has not been scientifically tested.
Comparable documented pieces of this type have been cataloged variously as:
Brass • Bronze • Bronze with Silver • Silver & Copper Inlaid Brass
The main body of this example appears to be a copper-alloy metal, possibly brass or bronze, with contrasting decorative metal elements that may include copper and/or silver-colored inlay.
No claim is being made that the lighter-colored metal is confirmed silver.
Measurements
Overall length: approximately 8.5 inches
Weight: approximately 437 grams
Condition
Antique condition with substantial age-related patina, oxidation, surface wear, scratches, discoloration and small dents or irregularities consistent with age and historical use.
The shell-form hinged lid of the inkwell shows visible edge loss/wear and damage, clearly shown in the photographs.
Additional age-related wear and oxidation are visible around the hinges, joints, engraved surfaces and interior areas.
The aged surface and patina have been preserved and have not been aggressively polished.
Please review all photographs carefully, as they are an important part of the condition description.
Collector Interest
A distinctive example of an antique portable writing instrument combining a scribe’s pen case and inkwell with elaborate Arabic calligraphic and geometric metalwork.
Especially suitable for collections of:
Antique Writing Instruments • Qalamdan • Divit • Arabic Calligraphy • Islamic Metalwork • Ottoman-Era Objects • Middle Eastern Antiques • Mamluk Revival Decorative Arts • Antique Inkwells • Historical Scribe’s Tools
Museum and sale examples mentioned above are provided solely as comparative research references. They do not constitute a claim that this particular object originated from those collections, sale lots, workshops or makers.
