Islamic Metalwork.

Qalamdan and Divit: Portable Writing Sets of the Islamic World

Introduction

This article brings together useful information for anyone interested in learning more about qalamdans and divits, traditional portable writing sets of the Islamic world, with a particular focus on metalwork, including their history, construction, decoration, and regional variations. Some of the photographs featured in this article were taken by the author and depict objects from a large private collection.

The word qalamdan comes from Persian: qalam, meaning a reed pen, and dan, meaning a container or case. It generally refers to a case designed to protect and carry writing instruments. The term divit, used primarily in the Ottoman Empire, refers to a portable writing set consisting of a long pen compartment and an attached inkwell.

Persian qalamdans and Ottoman divits are often distinguished by their construction. Persian qalamdans, particularly lacquered papier-mâché examples, commonly feature elongated cases with sliding trays, sometimes containing an internal inkwell. Ottoman divits typically consist of a metal pen compartment with a separately constructed inkwell attached externally. However, this distinction is not absolute. Persian qalamdans could also have externally attached inkwells, and the terms qalamdan and divit were sometimes used for similar writing instruments.

These writing sets were widely used during the Persian and Ottoman periods, particularly between the 17th and 19th centuries, although the tradition of finely crafted pen cases is considerably older.

Their historical distribution included territories corresponding to the following modern countries:

Middle East: Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt.
South Asia: India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
Central Asia: Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
Balkans: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Bulgaria, Albania, Greece, and North Macedonia.
North Africa: Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia

Divits were produced in a wide variety of materials, including brass, bronze, copper, iron, steel, and silver. Particularly luxurious examples incorporated gilding, silver or gold inlay, and precious stones. Their surfaces were often decorated with engraved floral patterns, geometric ornament, arabesques, and calligraphic inscriptions. Some bore the names of their owners or craftsmen, religious blessings, or the imperial tughra — the calligraphic monogram of an Ottoman sultan.

Examples

Divits with Different Types of Inkwell Lid

Lids with a raised grip vs scallop-shaped lids

Persian Metal Qalamdans

Persian Qalamdans from Different Periods.

Divits decorated with Enamel

Colorful Enamel Decoration

Decorated with Enamel Inlays

Two Large Engraved Qalamdans with Turquoise-Colored Inlays

Various Sizes and Shapes

Qalamdans with Engraved Decoration and Ornamental Inkwell Lids, 19th Century

Engraved Names/Dates

Qalamdans with Engraved Names, Dates, and Heraldic Emblems, 19th Century

Qalamdan/Divit with a Hanging Inkwell

Ornately Decorated Qalamdan with Hanging Inkwell (Left) and Paper Holder (Right)

Divits from Balkans

Heavy Balkan short Metal Divit with Raised Floral Motif

Large Divits

Four Large Divits with Elaborate Floral Engraving and Arabic Calligraphic Inscriptions

Engraved Metal Qalamdan with a Sliding Lid and Gold and Silver Inlay (1)

The sliding lid displays intricate floral decoration with contrasting gold and silver inlay, revealing the concealed inkwell.

Engraved Metal Qalamdan with a Sliding Lid and Gold and Silver Inlay (2)

The open qalamdan reveals a removable metal inkwell with a hinged lid and an interior compartment for reed pens.

Engraved Metal Qalamdan with a Sliding Lid and Gold and Silver Inlay (3)

An elongated metal qalamdan with a sliding lid, decorated with delicate floral engraving and silver inlay.

A fine Khurasan silver-inlaid qalamdan, Persia, circa 1200. Source: Sotheby’s, London, 30 March 2022, Lot 91.

Pen_case_PERSIAN_INLAID.pdf

The Origins and Development of Persian Inlaid Metalwork

The technique of decorating bronze and brass objects with silver, copper, and gold inlay became prominent in Iran during the mid-12th century, particularly in the Khorasan region. Although metal inlay had been known in the Middle East long before this period, the 12th century marked the beginning of its widespread use in Persian luxury metalwork.

During the 12th–14th centuries, Iranian craftsmen produced highly sophisticated inlaid objects, including qalamdans, inkwells, candlesticks, and various vessels. Precious metals were used to create intricate inscriptions, geometric patterns, floral ornaments, and figurative scenes.

Example on the right: A Khorasan Silver-Inlaid Bronze Qalamdan, Persia, 12th–13th century. Source:Bonhams.

A significant transformation occurred between the late 14th and mid-15th centuries. During the Timurid period, craftsmen increasingly employed fine silver and gold inlays to emphasize previously engraved designs, rather than using larger metal inserts as integral elements of the decoration.This development established a more delicate and refined style of inlay that became characteristic of later Persian metalwork.

Reference: Linda Komaroff, “Pen-case and Candlestick: Two Sources for the Development of Persian Inlaid Metalwork,” The Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 23 (1988), pp. 89–102.

Ottoman Divits in Museum Collections

The characteristic form of the Ottoman divit, consisting of a narrow tubular pen case with an externally attached inkwell, was already known in Iran by the early 16th century. This design subsequently became widespread in the Ottoman Empire, where it developed into a distinctive and increasingly standardised form during the 17th century, particularly towards its end. Some of the earliest surviving Ottoman divits date to the second half of the 17th century.

Divit, Ottoman, 18th century

Walters Art Museum

Pen Box and Inkwell with Tughra of Ahmed

( 1673 – 1736)

HxW:x L: 9 1/8 in. (4.45 x 5.72 x 23.18 cm)

Divit, Ottoman, 19th century

Sadberk Hanım Museum

The inscription suggests that the divit may have been made for Sultan Mustafa IV

(1807-1808).

Divit, Ottoman, 19th century

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Tughra of Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II

(1808–39).Rectilinear stamp with maker's name (Sayad Hussein)

image

1/3

Dating Divits

The design of the inkwell lid may provide useful clues to the age and regional origin of Ottoman metal divits.

Some 18th-century examples feature raised knobs or projecting grips, allowing the lid to be lifted easily with the fingers (left photo). In contrast, certain 19th-century divits, feature scallop-shaped inkwell lids with a relatively flat profile (right photo). These hinged lids, decorated with a raised scallop-shell motif, may reflect the influence of European Rococo decorative traditions. This distinction may also reflect a gradual simplification of design and manufacturing techniques during the transition from the 18th to the 19th century.

Although these differences may indicate changes in regional styles and manufacturing practices, lid design alone cannot establish a precise date. It should be considered alongside the overall construction, decoration, materials, and any surviving maker's or assay marks. An authentic Ottoman sultan’s tughra provides much stronger evidence for dating a divit, as it can help identify a specific period of manufacture (see below for details).

Traditional Ottoman divits remained in use during the 19th century and probably into the early 20th century. Surviving examples are sometimes dated to the late 19th or early 20th century, although precisely dated examples from the 1900s are difficult to establish. As Western-style pens became increasingly popular and traditional waist sashes fell out of use during the 19th century, divits gradually disappeared from everyday use. Traditional Islamic calligraphy, however, continued throughout the 20th century.

Tughra of Ahmed III,

Source: art.thewalters.org

Dating Ottoman Divits by the Sultan’s Tughra

A tughra (طغرا) was the official calligraphic emblem of an Ottoman sultan, traditionally incorporating his name. Each sultan had his own distinctive tughra. These emblems appeared on official documents, coins and various objects, including silver writing instruments.

Tughras may be stamped on the pen compartment, near its hinged lid, or on the underside of the inkwell.

To distinguish the imperial tughra from other marks:

Tughra: The sultan's calligraphic emblem, useful for chronological identification.
Sah Mark: An Ottoman assay mark associated with the verification of precious metal.
Maker's Mark: Usually a small inscription or stamp identifying the craftsman who produced the divit.

On silver divits, the tughra could serve as an official mark associated with the reigning sultan's authority.

A tughra does not necessarily establish the exact year of manufacture. It generally provides a date range.

For example, in the 19th century, Ottoman sultans included Mahmud II (1808–1839), Abdülmecid I (1839–1861), Abdülaziz (1861–1876), and Abdülhamid II (1876–1909).

A tughra could also be reproduced on brass, copper or other non-precious metal objects. In such cases, such marks should not automatically be regarded as official hallmarks or reliable evidence of the date of manufactur. For brass divits, maker's marks, inscriptions and decorative stamps are more common.

Maker mark

Three types of divits

Ottoman divits were traditionally classified into three types according to their size:

Bel Diviti (Waist Divit) – The standard type, usually measuring approximately 25–30 cm in length, carried diagonally tucked into a waist sash. The projecting inkwell helped keep it securely in place.
Kol Diviti (Sleeve Divit) – A smaller, more compact version, with surviving examples measuring approximately 7.5–18.5 cm in length, designed to be carried inside the sleeve of traditional Ottoman clothing.
Battal Divit (Large Divit) – A larger version of the waist divit, generally exceeding 30 cm in length, generally intended for use at a writing desk rather than for personal carrying.

Large Divit (Battal Divit), Egypt or Turkey, 18th century. Length: 34cm.

Source: Sotheby’s, London, 10 June 2020, Lot 136.

How to Distinguish Balkan Divits

For collectors, the most reliable approach is to examine several characteristics together: overall construction, metalworking technique, decorative style, inscriptions, and documented provenance.

Distinctive Balkan-Style Inkwell lid with a Stepped Geometric Shape (left photo).

Balkan divits often feature stepped geometric inkwell lids, in contrast to the rounded lids commonly found on other Ottoman examples (right photo).

The depiction of a lion reflects (left photo) an artistic tradition in Balkan, but also found in Persian or Ottoman decorative arts. Therefore, zoomorphic decoration alone cannot establish the geographical origin of a qalamdan.

North Africa

The Maghreb, particularly Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, developed distinctive traditions of calligraphy and decorative metalwork. Maghribi calligraphy, characterized by rounded letterforms and flowing curves, was widely used in manuscripts. Geometric interlacing, floral arabesques, intricate engraving, and coloured enamel decoration, particularly in Moroccan metalwork, were also important features of regional craftsmanship.The signature Maghrebi combination: a lavish inlay of turquoise and red coral.

However, reliable geographical attribution requires a combined assessment of construction, ornamentation, inscriptions, and decorative techniques, as writing instruments were traded across regions.

On the right: Algerian Divit with Fine Silver-Wire Filigree

The divit features a characteristic Maghrebi combination of turquoise-blue and coral-red cabochons set in raised bezels, arranged in dense circular and geometric patterns across the pen case and inkwell. The body is further decorated with applied silver medallions bearing engraved Arabic calligraphy.

✒️ To be continued…

Algerian Silver Qalamdan,19th century

length 25 cm.Source: michaelbackmanltd.com

India/Pakistan

Distinguishing Indian from Iranian qalamdans, particularly those dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, can be challenging. Both traditions share Persian artistic influences, similar inscriptions, and decorative techniques.

No single feature — including the shape of the inkwell lid — is sufficient to identify with certainty.

✒️ To be continued…

Modern replicas

Numerous metal qalamdans and divits are offered on online marketplaces such as eBay, often described as "vintage," "antique".The term "vintage" does not necessarily mean antique, and neither the seller's description nor the presence of artificial-looking patina can establish the date of manufacture.

Distinguishing Persian and Ottoman inscriptions

Ottoman divits, produced in the 19th and early 20th centuries, often feature elongated rectangular or shaped cartouches containing prominent calligraphic inscriptions, sometimes with religious blessings or expressions of goodwill. Persian qalamdans sometimes feature inscribed cartouches, but the lettering, and surrounding floral ornamentation may differ. Reliable attribution requires assessing the calligraphic style together with the cartouche design, construction, ornamentation, and content of the inscriptions.

Persian qalamdans may feature elegant Nastaʿliq inscriptions, characterized by flowing, sloping letterforms and elongated strokes (left). Ottoman divits often display bold Thuluth inscriptions, characterized by prominent vertical strokes and sweeping curves. On the right is a traditional Ottoman calligraphic composition representing the Panj Tan (the Five Holy Figures).

From Qalamdan to Divit: 500 Years of Evolution