TWO SAFAVID POTTERY WATER PIPE BOTTLES (QALYAN)
Kirman, South Eastern Iran, late 17th - 18th century

Comprising a qalyan bottle of compressed globular shape, on a straight circular foot, rising to a tall cylindrical neck with a gently everted rim, a bulbous spout to the side, the white body painted in underglaze cobalt blue and iron red, the decoration of the body consisting of lobed medallions filled with stylised lotus flowers and interspersed amidst vegetal branches with small leaves, the neck with Chinese-inspired cobalt blue chrysanthemums, the base with a continuous band of Chinese style 'ru' clouds, a zigzagged mark to the base, 20.5cm high; and another, of pyriform shape, resting on a short, circular foot, rising to a flared ringed neck with a reinforced circular rim, the exterior underglaze-painted in cobalt blue, iron red, and copper green against a white ground, presenting several Chinese-inspired motifs like peonies and chrysanthemums in circular medallions interspersed amidst serrated leaves and stylised cusped arabesque cartouches, with a foliate band around the neck and a frieze of roundels around the base, a pseudo-Chinese mark on the inner side of the base, 29.7cm high.