AN IMPRESSIVE LARGE MAMLUK ENGRAVED BRASS CANDLESTICK WITH THE SCRIBE INSIGNIA
Egypt or Syria, second half 15th century

Of tapering conical shape truncated at the top, resting on a wide splayed circular foot, rising to flattened, inward-bending shoulders and a tall cylindrical neck surmounted by a plain, sloping, conical head with a circular rim, possibly a later-addition derived from a Medieval Seljuq brass candlestick, the neck and base densely engraved with overlapping horizontal registers featuring interlocking oval cartouches and circular medallions containing respectively bold thuluth honorific inscriptions and a vase-like symbol representing the distinctive Mamluk insignia for scribes, set against a ground of dense scrolling vines, interspersed amidst split palmette trellis, floral festoons, knotwork, chevron bands, and rosette roundels, the base 30.1cm diam., overall 39cm high.

Provenance: previously in an old private European collection, recently purchased in France.