Ottoman Calligrapher’s Gold Inlaid Scissors And penknive

set of 5 pairs of steel traveling calligrapher's scissors damascened, Turkey, 19th Century

six items, including five pairs of paper scissors, and one penknive, composed of steel overlaid with gold decoration, handles shaped to form a mirrored calligraphic composition, with floral decoration on the surface throughout, the maktas also decorated with foliate designs and inlaid, the penknive with gold leafy scrolls

These scissors, made entirely of iron, have tear drop handles and long, concave blades finely inlaid with scrolling gold work.

Scissors such as these were used to trim paper (perhaps newly copied copies of the Koran), to create