A rare and important gold and silver-inlaid pen box, signed by Attay Allah ibn Faydallah, probably Yemen, late Mamluk period, 14th/15th century

In overall good condition, some rubbing to surface resulting in some loss to gilding and silver, interior with oxidisation, as viewed.
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inscriptions

In the borders:  Qur’an, chapter II (al-baqara), verse 255
And: Qur’an, chapter LXI (al-saff), part of verse 13.

In the cartouches in silver:
Signed by the maker ‘Amal Attay Allah ibn Faydallah’

In the cartouches in gold inlay:
bi-‘inayatihi ya malik al-mulk amir al-mu’/minin wa sayyid al-muslimin al-masri/ hafizahu allah/
‘By His favour, the Owner of Sovereignty, Commander of the Faithful and Lord of the Muslims, al-Masri, may God protect him’ 

This extremely rare pen box derives its shape from earlier pen boxes from the Mamluk period. It is monumental in style, with three gilt bosses on the lid, evoking domed architectural forms. The calligraphic frieze, which holds a prominent position on the lid, is written in a cursive script, with a special dedication to the Ruler of Egypt (… minin wa sayyid al-muslimin al masri), Commander of the Faithful and Lord of the Muslims, suggesting royal patronage.

A box with a similar shape and flap is now in the Keir Collection (see Féhérvári 1976, p.132, no.167, pl.58c). Whereas the overall design on the present box adheres to strict geometric rules, the silver inlaid foliate motifs are executed with characteristic fluidity. An interesting comparison can be drawn with a casket in the Islamic Museum Cairo, whose inscription points to Sana as the place of manufacture. The Rasulid Sultans of Yemen were known to have commissioned many artworks from Mamluk artists, some of whom may have travelled to Yemen (Wiet 1984, no.3259, pl.LXIV). It is possible that the present pen case was also made in Sana. The reference to a Mamluk ruler in Egypt may or may not indicate royal patronage.

A silver-inlaid steel shield, also attributed to circa fifteenth century Yemen, was published in Sotheby's, Arts of the Islamic World, 1 April 2009, lot 152. It features the same characteristic bosses as this pen box and naturalistic silver-inlaid floral motifs.