A fine late Qajar-era qalamdan (pen box), likely Persia, late 19th century, crafted in papier-mâché and painted with an exquisitely detailed figural scene beneath a polished lacquer finish. The lid depicts three elegantly robed women seated amidst a lush floral backdrop, engaged in intimate conversation and possibly partaking in wine—suggestive of a Bacchic gathering or poetic salon. Rendered in jewel-toned pigments with delicate gold highlights, their expressions are contemplative, their gestures graceful, embodying the refined literary and aesthetic culture of the Qajar court. Gilded borders frame the scene with arabesque motifs, while the interior and underside are lacquered in traditional deep black. As both a utilitarian object and a narrative artwork, this qalamdan embodies the fusion of calligraphic tradition, literary indulgence, and visual storytelling central to Persian artistic heritage.