AN ENGRAVED TINNED COPPER MAMLUK CHARGER WITH THE SCRIBE INSIGNIA
Possibly Egypt or Syria, late 15th - early 16th century

Of shallow rounded shape, resting on a short raised foot, rising to a flattened everted rim, the interior densely engraved with a central roundel with interlaced Y-shaped strapwork grid, surrounded by an epigraphic band in coarse thuluth script, encased within a ground of scrolling vegetal meanderings, the cavetto with rectangular cartouches alternating stylised split palmette scrolls with knotwork and further inscriptions, interspersed amidst roundels with the scribe insignia (a pen case with inkwell) and the same strapwork grid of the central roundel, the rim featuring similar calligraphic and split palmette friezes, the exterior plain, 37.5cm diam. and 5cm high.