IRAN, 18TH CENTURY

Details

A SAFAVID OPENWORK HALF MOON KNIFE
IRAN, 18TH CENTURY
The wide bell-shaped blade tapering before a central roundel with openwork interlaced palmettes, flanked on either side by upturned stylised animal heads, a faceted shaft above with a square knop terminal, traces of gilding inside the interior of the roundel, a hinged fitting on one side, very minor losses
6½in. (16.5cm.) long

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Lot Essay

An extensive set of tools in the Tanavoli Collection includes a wide variety of implements, including those for a number of different trades - from barbers and jewellers to scribes and doctors. The fitted lacquered box in which they are housed has one missing implement, a half-moon knife used for leather-working. The space left in the box for it is remarkably similar in shape to our knife suggesting that ours fulfilled a similar function (James Allan and Brian Gilmour, Persian Steel. The Tanavoli Collection,Oxford, 2000, fig.55a, pp.383-84).

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