* A PIERCED CLEAR GLAZE POTTERY BOWL  PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION   Iran, 13th century  Of typical conical shape, on straight tall foot, the interior painted in black with a central stylised vegetal pattern, two fine black lines framing the pierced cavetto, the rim highlighted in cobalt blue, the exterior clear apart form a black line near the base, 19.7cm diam.  The pierced pattern in the cavetto showcases an interesting decorative motif which became more and more prominent in Iranian fritware production of the 12th and 13th centuries. The holes are pierced when the body is in a leather-hard state and the perforations are filled with transparent glaze during the firing process, leaving transparent windows. As Oliver Watson states, this technique is first seen in Iran in the late 12th century and predates the Chinese use of similar decoration, also called "rice pattern", by several centuries (O. Watson, Ceramics from Islamic Lands, Thames and Hudson and The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait National Museum, 2004, p. 320). * Please note that this lot is subject to import VAT at a preferential rate of 5% on the Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on the Buyer's Premium.