A 'Shirazi' wood chest, Persia 19th Century

A teak Shirazi chest, of rectangular form, the wood body decorated with pierced copper openwork mounts in foliate design over brass plates, set and framed with brass bosses and studs, the front with three drawers each with paired loop handles and monumental brass palmette lock, large loop handles to the sides. Hinged cover with brass iner hinges.

The name Shirazi chest or Zanzibar chest given to this type of trunk refer to where they were acquired, rather than where they were made.

Most of the chests used to come from India, thanks to its abundance of harwood and teak especially.

Depending on the region, India produced different types of chests. The Shirazi chests are among the most spectacular and sought after. They were not made in Shiraz (now in Iran), but found in areas of Persian influence. All were constructed of durable teak or other hardwoods, and they were decorated with patterns of brass nails and sometimes brass plates cut into geometric applications or scrolls, which became more and more elaborate over time.
They were used for the storage of dowry, placed on stands or feet, throughout the Arabian
Peninsula.

Hauteur 66cm 152x 70