Step 2 of 9

Porcelain

Fig. 1. Marco Polo’s Caravan transporting goods via camel across the silk road, image from the _Catalan Atlas_ (1375) - [Wikimedia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Caravane_Marco_Polo.jpg) — Fig. 1. Marco Polo’s Caravan transporting goods via camel across the silk road, image from the *Catalan Atlas* (1375) - Wikimedia

There was a huge demand in early modern Persia for imported Chinese porcelain, the material from which this pen case was originally made. It was tightly packed into ships or transported overland, to be traded and exchanged as diplomatic gifts. Porcelain was prized for its high shine and its fine grain, which allowed for highly intricate painted designs. The thin curving lines in the floral pattern of alternating lotuses and peonies across the shiny white surface of the porcelain body give this piece a sumptuous feel. The original pen case would have been a highly desirable luxury object in Persia.