TWO PALESTINIAN POTTERY VASES AND A MINIATURE ARCHITECTURAL 'DOME OF THE ROCK' POTTERY MODEL
Palestine, Holy Land, ca. 1920 - 1950

Comprising two vases, of similar bulbous shape, each resting on a short circular foot, rising to a gently everted circular rim, each painted in cobalt blue, turquoise, red, green and with black outlines, the design consisting of a wide central band of floral decoration including stems of carnations, tulips, saz leaves and rosettes, clearly inspired by Iznik wares, the larger vase also incorporating polylobed cartouches, the base of the same vase with two illegible stamp marks and a small 'O', the smaller vase also with an illegible stamp and an 'X', the larger vase 25cm high, the smaller 13.3cm high; together with a 'Dome of the Rock' model with an octagonal base resting on a short circular foot, surmounted by a detachable lid now missing a crescent moon finial, the earthenware body covered in a white slip and painted in turquoise, blue, green, manganese and black, the painted decoration attempting to replicate the exterior of the Islamic shrine located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, also known as al-Haram al-Sharif, or al-Aqsa compound, the base marked 'Palestine' and the Armenian characters 'Գ' and 'Պ' (the initials of potters Nishan Balian and Megerditch Karakashian) in black, the base approx 8cm at the widest points, the full height 8.9cm.