Lot 225: TWO OTTOMAN LACQUERED PAPIER-MACHE DOCUMENT CASES, LATE 19TH CENTURY

Two cylindrical document or map cases dating to the late 19th century, of Ottoman origin. These items were designed for the protection and transport of official scrolls, firmans, or maps. Each case is constructed from lacquered papier-mâché over a protective internal metal liner, visible at the neck of the tubes. One case features a vibrant red ground decorated in a style resembling the Persian gol-o-morgh (bird and flower) tradition, depicting a stylized tree with white branches, multi-coloured blossoms in shades of orange, blue, and green, and a brightly coloured bird with blue and green plumage. The second case is decorated with a cream or pale yellow ground covered in a dense repeating floral pattern of blossoms in blue, red, and gold with green stems, influenced by Ottoman Edirnekari or provincial Baroque styles. This case also features small stylized birds and a lower border of upright green and red leaves. Both cases are fitted with matching removable caps.

L: 40cm each