Lot 213

19th C. Persian & Indian Brass Padlocks - Lion & Target Motifs, Group of 4

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Lot 213
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19th C. Persian & Indian Brass Padlocks - Lion & Target Motifs, Group of 4
19th C. Persian & Indian Brass Padlocks - Lion & Target Motifs, Group of 4
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19th C. Persian & Indian Brass Padlocks - Lion & Target Motifs, Group of 4

Estimate: $500 - $750

Starting Bid: $250

(0 Bids)
by Artemis Fine Arts
August 7, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Middle East, Persia, Qajar Dynasty; South Asia, India, ca. 1800–1899 CE. A quartet of hand-forged brass padlocks that blend security with sculptural whimsy. Three are Persian work of the Qajar era: a scalloped disc lock stamped with a rosette target motif, a lion-head lock with a suspension ring rising from its brow, and a spirited seated lion whose maned body forms the lock case. The fourth, an Indian example, takes the shape of a recumbent quadruped, its flank incised "No. 1" and marked as Indian manufacture. Zoomorphic locks like these carried protective and auspicious associations, the lion in particular evoking strength, kingship, and guardianship. The target-motif and lion-head examples retain their keys and remain functional; the two seated-animal forms do not. Together they trace a shared regional taste for animal-form metalwork bridging Persia and the subcontinent. Size of largest (target motif stamps): 2.8" W x 1.4" H (7.1 cm W x 3.6 cm H).

Zoomorphic padlocks were a specialty of Persian and Indian metalsmiths, produced both for practical use and as talismanic objects. The lion (shir) was a potent emblem in Qajar Iran, appearing on the national standard alongside the sun and functioning as a symbol of royal and divine protection. Such locks secured shrines, treasuries, storerooms, and personal chests, and their auspicious forms were believed to guard what lay behind them. Indian animal-form locks, often cast in brass and sometimes puzzle-actuated, share this lineage of decorative security hardware traded and admired across the wider Persianate world.

Provenance: private Essex, New York, USA collection

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Item # 203434

  • Condition: Lion head and target motif locks have keys and still function; other two do not. Al have expected weathering and surface wear, commensurate with age. Otherwise, nice presentations with good remaining detail and rich patinas.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000