19th C. Qajar Carnelian Seal Intaglio in Silver Ring Bezel with Nastaliq

Near East, Persia, Qajar Dynasty. An oval carnelian seal intaglio, cut in reverse with a cursive nastaliq inscription, still sits in its original silver bezel from a signet ring whose shank has not survived. The letters are built around a tall central upright stroke and wind through a ground of fine floral scrolls and leafy tendrils. Two to three thin lines follow the edge of the stone and frame the design. Pressed into wax, the carving gives a crisp positive impression, which is how it was meant to be read on letters and documents. The honey-orange stone has a flat polished face and is set in a silver mount (91.5% silver) with a band of small chased triangles around the outer rim. Seals like this served as personal signatures and usually carried the owner's name, sometimes with a pious phrase. In Qajar Persia a seal (mohr) did the job of a written signature. Letters, contracts, and petitions were made valid by inking the stone and pressing it onto the paper, so a seal was a very personal and well-guarded possession. Seal engravers (hakkak) were respected craftsmen. Their best work matched the standards of the calligraphers, whose scripts they had to carve in reverse into hard stone. Nastaliq was developed in Persia in the 14th and 15th centuries and became the leading script for Persian poetry and chancery documents. It is known for its sweeping horizontal strokes and graceful slant. On Qajar seals the letters are often set against scrolling flowers and leaves, so the background is as carefully designed as the inscription itself. Item # 205245

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