Locks from Iran: Pre-Islamic to twentieth century : [exhibition]

by Parviz Tanavoli

Excerpt from the In Iran, the padlock was developed in an amazing variety of sizes, shapes, materials, and mechanisms, the lies of which are less frequently encountered in Europe. The major emphasis in the Iranian padlock was placed on the lock itself; the key almost invariably played a minor role from an aesthetic point of view. On the whole, very little attention has been devoted to the history and development of the lock in Iran. Perhaps one reason for this is the dearth of examples in most museums and private collections throughout the world, and also the fact that it is difficult to identify and date such objects when they have been removed from the area in which they were made and used. The kind of research undertaken by the late Hans Wulff in his book The Traditional Crafts of Persia is therefore all the more important when seen in this light. Parviz Tanavoli, professor of sculpture at Tehran University and one of Iran's leading sculptors was first attracted to the locks of his own country because of their sculptural qualities. At present, his total collection contains over one thousand examples of the Iranian locksmith's craft, four hundred and sixty of which have been selected for exhibition on the occasion of the American Bicentennial. Besides being a lasting source of inspiration to him in his own art, the locks Parviz Tanavoli has gathered with such diligence and love represent the preservation of a precious part of Iran's heritage which might well have been lost otherwise, and consequently they form the basis for a deeper appreciation of a largely unknown facet of his country's traditional art and technology.

151 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1976