Kazim ibn Najaf Ali

The surfaces of these papier-mache pen cases have been treated with a fine gesso or plaster and the intricate designs are painted in watercolors on a lacquered surface. 'Lacquer' in this context is to be distinguished from the sap of the rhus vernicifera tree used in China and Japan and instead, Islamic lacquer wares are often described as papier-mache - layers of paper pasted onto one another - objects covered with several glossy coats of varnish made from a resin-turned-solvent. The painted designs are executed in watercolor and this lacquer finish protects and gives them a warm finish.

Pen cases were important due to their association with the art of calligraphy, an important art form in the Islamic world. These cases were divided into two pieces, a drawer and its sheath, carefully crafted for precise fitting. Inside these cases were reed pens, a silver inkwell, and other necessary accessories such as a knife for cutting nibs or scissors for trimming paper. These luxury items were status symbols commissioned by royalty and the social elites.