Lot 239: AN INDO-PERSIAN CARVED WOODEN CALLIGRAPHY PRINTING BLOCK, 19TH CENTURY

A 19th-century Indo-Persian hand-carved wooden printing block. The object is fashioned from a single piece of dense hardwood, featuring a dark, aged patina and a visible natural grain. The face of the block is carved in deep relief with the name Muhammad in stylised Arabic calligraphy, including the shadda diacritic. The central text is surrounded by scrolling calligraphic flourishes that adapt to the irregular shape of the wood. There are visible traces of blue pigment within the carved crevices, indicating its historical use for textile stamping or printing. The block has a flat reverse showing the cross-section of the wood.

L: 25cm