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Qalam-zani vs Inlaid metalwork

قلم‌زنی · فلزکاری ترصیع‌شده

Qalam-zani: The Iranian tradition of decorating copper, brass and silver vessels with small chisels struck by hammer, working the metal into line, ground and relief. Inlaid metalwork: Decoration of brass, bronze or steel vessels by setting silver, copper or gold into cut recesses, producing figurative scenes, inscriptions and ornament in contrasting colour.

Side by side

Qalam-zaniInlaid metalwork
Persian nameقلم‌زنیفلزکاری ترصیع‌شده
CategoryMetalwork · EngravingMetalwork · Precious-metal inlay
Materialsbrass, copperbrass, silver, copper
Techniqueschisel-engraving—
Regionsisfahan, tabrizisfahan, tabriz
Periodsseljuk, safavid, qajar, contemporaryseljuk, ilkhanid, timurid, safavid
Motifseslimi-arabesque, gol-o-morgheslimi-arabesque
Current vitalityAt riskAt risk

What they share

  • Materials: brass, copper
  • Regions: isfahan, tabriz
  • Motifs: eslimi-arabesque
  • Periods: seljuk, safavid

How to tell them apart

  • Materials such as silver point towards Inlaid metalwork.
  • Qalam-zani typically involves chisel-engraving.

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Disclaimer

This comparison is educational and built from entries still under review. It cannot confirm what a particular object is.