32. Qajar Headdress Ornament Iran, 19th century 12 cm long This exquisite headdress ornament is in the form of a bird of prey with wings outstretched. The bird is finely decorated with enamel, gold-sheet, pearls and semi-precious stones, and is attached with a ring on the back of its neck to a row of five joining plaques. The bird’s chest bears a large semi-precious stone, beneath which stylised plumage is depicted in blue enamel. Three smaller semi-precious stones accentuate the wings and tail, with even smaller stones marking the bird’s eyes. Delicate enamelled floral and bird motifs embellish the back of the ornament, while pearls surround the bird’s neck and also hang from its wings and tail. The five plaques each contain a small, semi-precious stone and are linked by small threaded pearls. The reverse of one plaque bears green and pink enamelling. Jewellery from the Qajar period was often decorated with enamel, a medium which was also frequently used on luxury items including bowls and boxes. Reflecting both earlier Iranian pieces and European influences, enamel work typically includes birds, flowers and human imagery. For similar examples to our piece, see Spink, p. 579, Nos. 469-70. Literature: Spink, M. The Art of Adornment: Jewellery of the Islamic Lands, Part Two, Vol. XVII, The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, The Nour Foundation, London, 2013.
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