Lot #43: Hand Painted vintage Persian Qajar-style Bud Vase with Floral and Portrait Design

Hand Painted vintage Persian Qajar-style Bud Vase with Floral and Portrait Design This vase is a vintage Persian Qajar-style porcelain decorative piece, featuring a hand-painted portrait of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, who ruled as the Shah of Persia from 1848 to 1896. The item is characterized by its deep red or "claret" ground, which is often adorned with intricate gold (gilt) patterns and a central commemorative medallion of the monarch. Similar items are frequently found in antique markets and are identified by their association with the Qajar The "bird's-eye" perspective highlights the craftsmanship typical of Persian Market items, where European or Japanese porcelain blanks were decorated specifically for the Middle Eastern market. The gold gilding on the scalloped rim shows wear and some scratches in vintage pieces, adding to their character A secondary and third decorative medallions featuring hand-painted purple roses. This is common for Persian Market export pieces, which often feature a royal portrait on one side—in this case, Naser al-Din Shah Qajar—and a contrasting floral scene on the others. The deep red ground is adorned with an intricate gold trellis or scale pattern. While these items were inspired by the Persian Qajar dynasty, they were frequently manufactured by prominent porcelain factories in Japan (under labels like Imperial Fine China or Copy Mann) or Europe (such as Limoges in France or various Bavarian makers) specifically for export to the Middle East. The gold detailing is applied with a technique called raised gilding or "moriage," where the gold paint is layered to create a physical texture you can feel. This specific pattern—a gold trellis over a deep claret-red ground—is highly characteristic of Japanese manufacturers like Imperial Fine China or Copy Mann, which specialized in creating these commemorative Qajar pieces for the Iranian market The markings on the bottom of the vase confirm it is a hand-painted export piece, likely from the mid-20th century.The base features the words "Hand painted" written in a stylized gold or iron-red script, followed by the initials "P.J." beneath it. This signature likely belongs to an individual decorator or a small studio rather than a major manufacturer Summary: Subject: Commemorative vase for Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (Shah of Persia, 1848–1896) 6.25" high. Style: Qajar-style porcelain, often referred to as "Persian Market" ware. Age: Likely vintage, dating from the 1950s to the 1970s, rather than a 19th-century antique. Collector Appeal: These are popular among collectors of Iranian history and vintage "Orientalia" export porcelain. Dimensions: 6.25" Pickup category timeslot {A}