{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O65726"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O65726/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AB1962/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AB1962/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AB1962","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AB1968","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KY7227","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O65726/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O65726","accessionNumber":"M.712-1910","objectType":"Writing box","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This writing or pen box held pens, inks of different colours, sand for blotting, and small rolls of paper. Such boxes were status symbols for the officials who owned them. Brass boxes inlaid with precious metals, like this one, were the most prestigious, though their shape imitated wooden boxes.\r\n\r\nObjects made from base materials such as brass were often transformed by sophisticated inlaid surface ornament. For larger motifs, metalworkers chiselled out small areas of brass and filled them with thin sheets of silver, gold and copper. They added details by chasing the surface of the softer metals and created contrast with a black filler. The results were an unusually graphic form of decoration, often of great quality.","physicalDescription":"Oblong brass writing box inlaid with silver and gold; fitted with ink pot and pounce-pot. Damascened all over with knot design on lid with medallions with geometric motifs on either end. Lid features rosettes. Inside of lid dedcorated all over with y-shape motifs and inscriptions, same on inside base.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"brass","id":"AAT10946"},{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"},{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"}],"techniques":[{"text":"hammering","id":"AAT54098"},{"text":"inlay","id":"AAT53850"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Brass hammered and inlaid with silver and gold","categories":[{"text":"Islam","id":"THES48932"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MES","id":"THES48607"},"images":["2006AB1962","2006AB1968","2018KY7227"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"42 (VA)","id":"THES49806"},"free":"","case":"2E","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"42 (VA)","id":"THES49806"},"free":"","case":"2E","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"42 (VA)","id":"THES49806"},"free":"","case":"2E","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Writing box","id":""}],[{"text":"Writing box","id":""}],[{"text":"Writing box","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Syria","id":"x29200"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"possibly"},{"place":{"text":"Turkey","id":"x29225"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"possibly"},{"place":{"text":"Iraq","id":"x28917"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"possibly"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1250","earliest":"1245-01-01","latest":"1254-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by George Salting","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"24.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"6.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"4.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"when closed","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Inscription in Arabic on inside cover","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"\"By me flow life and death, by me blood...\"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Rest of translation missing."}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Pen box, brass with rounded ends, Syria, south-east Turkey or northern Iraq, about 1250.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Jameel Gallery \r\n\r\nWriting Box with Rounded Ends\r\nSyria, south-east Turkey or northern Iraq\r\nAbout 1250\r\n\r\nWriting boxes held pens, inks of different colours, sand for blotting, and small rolls of paper. They were status symbols for the officials who owned them. Brass boxes inlaid with precious metals were the most prestigious, though their shape imitated wooden boxes.\r\n\r\nBrass inlaid with silver, gold and a black composition\r\n\r\nMuseum no. M.712-1910. Bequest of George Salting","date":{"text":"Jameel Gallery","earliest":"2006-07-20","latest":null}},{"text":"Brass with silver and gold inlay\r\nSyria or Mesopotamia, late 15th c.\r\nSalting Bequest","date":{"text":"pre 2002","earliest":null,"latest":"2001-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["M.712PART/2-1910","M.712PART/1-1910","M.712-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"712","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Writing box [1]","Writing box [2]","Writing box [3]"],"assets":["2019LM5720","2019LR5612","2019LU5122","2021MV7618"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2002-05-29","availableToBook":false}}