Help to identify silver box

Good afternoon.
Weight 500 gr. Silver
1970

 

It is a niello and silver box from Iraq. You didn't give the size, but it is probably a cigarette box.
Niello is a black metal alloy and sulphur mixture used for inlay.

In the West this type of Iraqi silverwork is often sold as Egyptian, because palmtrees and camels are Egyptian of course.

 

I’m just curious why you said 1970. I see 19v. Is that a date code? I was just looking that up. Thank you

 

On the box written 1970-١٩٧٠

 

Ok thank you.

 

Does it have a silver mark? I just picked up a small Iranian/Persian silver box of different type and it is marked with a small mark on the base.

 

Here it is written: ,, A gift from the Minister of Defense of Iraq."

 

No. I didn't saw any mark.

 

Different countries, different customs.
Iraqi silver is rarely marked, if it is, it is not an official assay mark.
Iran is a different country, with different laws regarding silver. Since 1967 Iranian silver is usually marked with an assay mark, the lion with the scimitar.

 

Typically sold as 'Marsh Arab' niello...

~Cheryl

 

I was wondering about that. I have a Marsh Arab silver bracelet, but it is niello with the images in raised silver. The images include the traditional Marsh Arab reed houses.

 

I guess I could have left off the Iran part as all I really wanted to suggest was looking for a mark. My box I believe is Iranian but the mark is damaged so I've made a best guess.

 

Why don't you show us, maybe someone can make something of it. We've had some very worn silvermarks that were still recognized by a tiny detail.

 

Sure why not, I'll start my own thread in silver.