Hand-painted Qajar Lacquer Box with Chaugun (Polo) Players painting on tim There is some paint loss

There is some paint loss on one side

when apparently they were commonly seen in saloons and cigar shops

7/8" in diameter

it  makes it feel almost as if this pup on his pillow were a stand in for Jesus

This is about the most beautiful hand tool I can imagine

Hand-painted Qajar Lacquer Box with Chaugun (Polo) Players painting on tim There is some paint lossSo many lovely boxes in the world. This one is Persian, and I believe specifically Qajar period (1789 to 1925), late 19th c. or so I believe. Hand painted on lacquered papier mache, one might first think the painting on the lid depicts a battle scene, but in fact these men on horseback are playing "Chaugan," more commonly known as polo, which is believe to have originated in ancient Persia thousands of years ago; look closely and you can see they hold