AN EARLY ABBASID DEEP GREEN HOT-WORKED GLASS BOWL
Possibly Samarra, Iraq or Syria, 8th – 9th century
Of compressed globular shape, on plain base with pontil mark, with circular straight rim ornate with a band of spiral designs, the exterior trailed with the same colour glass and combed upwards to produce a ridged effect on the surface, 12.6cm diam. and 11.2cm high.
Provenance: purchased in the German art market in the 1980s and in UK private collection since 1985.
For a similar glass vessel, please see the Umayyad or Early Abbasid amber beaker successfully sold at Christie’s London, 8 April 2008, lot 50. Both Christie’s beaker and our bowl are decorated using an analogous technique in which the body is marked at regular intervals giving the impression of a reticulated web of ribs. Glass objects worked in this fashion are called hot-worked as the surface is manipulated and decorated whilst it is still hot and in a malleable state with the aid of tools (e.g. metal tongs) with circular or square ends rather than one- or two-part moulds (S. Carboni, Glass of the Sultans, 2002, pp. 101 – 114). According to Carboni, Syrian glassmakers, differently from their Egyptian counterparts, tend to ornate their productions with traditional patterns such as zigzags, circles and spiralling threads, similar to the ones present on our bowl, possibly suggesting a Syrian or Western Mediterranean origin.
Estimate: £4,000-£6,000
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TWO IRANIAN SMALL CLEAR GLASS BOTTLES
Possibly Nishapur, Eastern Iran, 9th – 10th century
Comprising a green clear glass bottle, the tall body faceted, rising to a tall flared neck, 6.1cm high; and a transparent bottle, the body faceted, rising to a straight circular neck, the exterior with a thick layer of iridescence, 2.8cm high.
Provenance: French private collection based in the UK since 1980s.
Estimate: £150-£200
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A MISCELLANEOUS SELECTION OF FOURTEEN GLASS BOTTLES
Iran, Syria and Iraq, 9th – 11th century
Each of different shape, size and colour, some hot-worked and some mold-blown, seven of them shaped in the traditional form of scent containers, possibly the remaining exemplars used as containers for other oily substances, the tallest 12.5cm high and the widest 8cm diam.
Provenance: purchased in the UK art market and in UK private collection since 1980s.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A MONOCHROME BLUE-GLAZED POTTERY VASE
Possibly Syria, 10th – 12th century
Of globular shape, on short circular foot, on the area below the rim a moulded calligraphic band in floriated Kufic script against scrolling tendrils and vegetal motifs, 15cm high.
Estimate: £200-£400
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TWO COPTIC TAPESTRY FRAGMENTS
Egypt, 6th – 8th century
Slit tapestry-woven in coloured silks with cotton or linen, against an off-white field with a central chalice beneath a cross, flanked by a pair of birds facing one-another, the spot motif laid on hand-spun linen, the oval piece embedded in an ecru mount, framed and glazed, 6cm x 10.5cm, and another, similar, woven with two birds beneath a colourful arching branch, 6.5cm x 11cm, 17cm x 19cm each, including frame.
It is hard to confirm whether the chalice and the cross on these fragments refer to the offices of the cupbearer (Saqi) or were instead Christian symbols. Surely though, fragments like these are rare survivals. Similar examples are in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (1979.102), Boston Museum of Fine Arts (37.380), and Winkworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester (Inv. 8875). For extra reference, please see Clive Rogers, Early Islamic Textiles, Brighton, 1983, fig.4, p.6.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A SPHERO-CONICAL POTTERY VESSEL
Egypt, 10th – 11th century
Of typical shape with tall smooth neck with no groove, the unglazed earthenware body incised with lines and weavy patterns, 7cm long.
Oliver Watson dedicated a whole section of his Unglazed Wares chapter to this type of sphero-conical vessels. Possibly, their use, which is still debated today, remains the most intriguing feature. Several scholars suggested different possibilities from hand-grenades to perfume flasks, from fire-blowers to mercury bottles, from tobacco pipes to beer flasks. Watson is not inclined to believe they were used as grenades or hand-thrown bombs, but instead supports the hypothesis they might have been used as aeolipiles, which filled with water were placed in a fire with the resulting jet of steam acting like bellows to increase the temperature (O. Watson, Ceramics from Islamic Lands, Thames and Hudson and The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait National Museum, 2004, pp. 128 – 131).
Estimate: £200-£300
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A TURQUOISE-GLAZED POTTERY WATER JUG
Ray, Iran, 11th – 12th century
Of globular shape, resting on short circular foot, rising to a tall cylindrical neck, a curved handle on the side, the exterior except the foot covered in turquoise glaze with a thick layer of iridescence, the interior plain, approximately 20.5cm high.
Provenance: French private collection based in the UK since 1980s.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A TURQUOISE-GLAZED MOULDED MIHRAB POTTERY TILE
Iran, 13th century
Of rectangular shape, the decoration consisting of a central polylobed niche, in the middle a globular mosque lamp hanging from the ceiling, on the left side raised curvy lines, possibly remains of an undecipherable inscription, framed, 22cm x 17.5cm including the frame.
Estimate: £1,200-£1,400
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A GROUP OF FOUR TURQUOISE-GLAZED POTTERY VESSELS
Possibly Kashan, Iran, 12th – 13th century
All of different shapes and sizes, comprising a large dish with flattened rim, 33cm diam.; a small dish with incised rim, ‘157’ inventory number in Persian script on the base, 18.3cm diam.; a conical bowl, ’22’ inventory number in Persian script on the exterior, 15.5cm diam.; and a small bowl, ‘575’ inventory number in Persian script on the exterior; 9cm diam.
Provenance: Bonham’s Edinburgh, 5 December 2017, lot 135.
Estimate: £400-£600
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* TWO SMALL COPPER-LUSTRE POTTERY EWERS
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Kashan, Iran, 12th – 13th century
Each of traditional shape, resting on a straight circular foot and rising to a tubular neck with wide tall spout, curved handle on the side, the lustre decoration consistent with Kashan miniature style and characterised by roundels filled with stylised figural designs on one ewer and with X-shaped pattern on the latter, scrolling vegetal tendrils and stylised spiral patterns on the neck, the tallest 16cm high.
* 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.
Estimate: £1,500-£2,500
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A COPPER-LUSTRE POTTERY JUG
Kashan, Iran, late 12th – early 13th century
Of compressed globular shape with a tall cylindrical neck and a curved handle on the side, resting on a slightly splayed circular foot, the moulded body presenting copper-lustre decoration in Kashan miniature style on the raised areas, the decoration consisting of roundels filled with stars, spirals and stylised vegetal pattern on the body, calligraphic cartouches on the neck and handle, and a continuous pseudo-Kufic calligraphic line inside the neck, an inventory number ‘850’ imprinted on the base, 22cm high.
For an analogous example, please see Christie’s South Kensington, The Saeed Motamed Collection – Part II, 7 October 2013, lot 55.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A TURQUOISE-GLAZED POTTERY BOWL
Possibly Ray, Iran, 12th – 13th century
Of conical shape, resting on a straight circular foot, with straight rim, the body except the foot covered in turquoise glaze, a thick layer of iridescence on both the exterior and interior, 18.5cm.
Provenance: French private collection based in the UK since the 1980s.
Estimate: £400-£600
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* 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.
Estimate: £2,000-£3,000
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* A NISHAPUR POTTERY BOWL
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
North-East Iran, 10th century
Of hemispherical shape, on short circular foot, painted in yellow, green and black, the interior decorated with a central roundel with four hen-like birds, the cavetto with a calligraphic band in pseudo-Kufic script, a stylised lozenge and spiral decorative band below the rim, the exterior with drop-shaped designs alternated by striped triangles, 22.3cm diam.
* 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.
Estimate: £1,800-£2,200
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* AN INCISED BRONZE FIGURE OF A PARTRIDGE
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Khorasan, Iran, 12th – 13th century
Bird-shaped, standing on webbed feet, with realistically incised lateral wings and head feathers, decorated with a central round medallion on the breast and a movable articulated beak, 13.5cm high.
Provenance: Sotheby’s London, 20 October 1994, lot 61 and in a private UK collection since.
For a similar but slightly larger bird vessel, please see the Freer Gallery collection catalogue (Atil, Islamic Metalwork in the Freer Gallery of Art, p.88, no. 11, 1985).
* 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.
Estimate: £2,500-£3,500
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* A SILVER-INLAID BRONZE STRIP
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Possibly Mosul, Jazira or Iran, 13th century
Of triangular shape, the silver-inlaid design showcasing a wealth of figural decoration such as harpies, a horseman fighting a predator, a ruler with the typical ‘moon face’ seated on a lion’s throne, birds of prey and other animals, each cartouche separated by a horizontal line of silver incised with scrolls, 14.5cm long.
The lively style and subjects of the decoration link this bronze strip to the Seljuk silver and brass-inlaid metalwork production of the 12th-13th century. In particular, the depiction of the quadruped in the final cartouche, possibly a dog, is strikingly similar to the dogs represented on an Iranian 13th-century inkwell at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (inventory number 59.69.2a,b).
* 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.
Estimate: £600-£800
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AN EARLY CARVED TERRACOTTA PANEL
Possibly Herat, Afghanistan, 12th – 13th century
Of rectangular shape, with a carved register of two large tri-lobed palmettes sprouting smaller split palmettes, surrounded by stylised scrolling vegetal tendrils, both the palmettes and the leaves encrusted with tesserae of turquoise and lapis lazuli, set inside a double solid border on each side, 27cm x 46.5cm.
Provenance: Private German collection in 1970s-1980s and in the UK since late 1980s.
For a similar panel, please see Christie’s London, 26 April 2012, lot 90.
Estimate: £4,000-£6,000
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AN INTACT CLEAR GLASS BEAKER
Syria or Egypt, 13th Century
With tubular body and slightly flaring mouth, a thin line impressed below the rim, resting on a pinched and kicked-in base with pontil mark, the surface clear except for the translucent film of iridescent patina, 16cm high.
Provenance: purchased in the UK market in 1971 and in a private UK collection since.
For a very similar example, please see Christie’s South Kensington, The Saeed Motamed Collection Part II sale, 7 October 2013, lot 73.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A VENETO-SARACENIC SILVER-INLAID BRASS LIDDED BOWL
Possibly Mamluk Syria, 15th – 16th century
Of rounded shape, with a flat base, the matching lid of hemispherical shape with sloping rim and an open circular handle at the top, the exterior decorated with an intricate composition of incised palmettes, stylised flower heads and arabesque designs, and silver-inlaid interlaced geometric cartouches and knot work, the silver inlay possibly later, 22cm diam.
A similar lidded bowl part of the Charles Gillot’s (1853 – 1903) collection was successfully sold at Christie’s Paris, 4 March 2008, lot 29. This was acquired by the collector from a dealer in Paris on 20th April 1899, demonstrating the interest for and the presence of Veneto-Saracenic metalwork in Western capitals already since the end of the 19th century.
Estimate: £3,000-£5,000
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A MONUMENTAL MAMLUK BRONZE BASIN
Possibly Egypt or Syria, 14th – 15th century
Of rounded shape, on flat base, the exterior incised with thirteen polylobed interlaced medallions, some filled with thuluth calligraphy, some with the typical Y-shaped motif, some with intricate strapwork and infinite knots, and some with abstract scrolling designs, the composition framed by two bands of braided cartouches interlocking and forming a flower head, 41cm diam.
Estimate: £1,800-£2,000
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A VENETO-SARACENIC BRASS BOWL
Possibly Mamluk Syria, late 15th – early 16th Century
Of hemispherical form with concave base, the exterior finely worked with concentric bands of intricate interlaced geometric and arabesque designs, scrolling vegetal tendrils, knotwork, and four roundels two of which with European jousting shield inlaid with a gilt wheel and gilt dots, the background filled with a black compound, the interior plain, 13.5cm diam.
Another Veneto-Saracenic bowl similar to ours, identified as produced in Mamluk Syria and presenting the same vegetal decoration on the base and roundels with European jousting shields, is part of the British Museum (BM) collection, inv. no. 1970,4-2,1. For an in-depth discussion on the BM bowl, please see Sylvia Auld, Renaissance Venice, Islam and Mahmud the Kurd, 2004, p.180. A similar bowl with lid successfully sold at Christie’s London, 26 October 2017, lot 65.
Estimate: £800-£1,000
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A BRASS-INLAID SILVER WINDOW FRAGMENT
Possibly Egypt or Syria, 15th century
Of tubular shape, with a compressed globular element in the centre, hollow, the silver body with brass-inlaid decoration consisting of a thuluth calligraphic band in the centre with rosette medallions, and sinuous interlocking arabesques, split palmettes and strapwork on the upper and lower register, 11.8cm high.
The exact use of this item has not been confirmed yet. Given its shape and the fact that it is hollow, one could speculate that it was supposed to be mounted on a reticulated structure with similar other fragments, potentially a window or a mashrabiya screen.
Estimate: £1,500-£2,000
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A SECTION FROM AN ANDALUSIAN MANUSCRIPT
Granada, Al Andalus, Islamic Spain, dated 483 AH (1090)
Arabic manuscript on vellum, 2ff., each folio with 27ll. of maghribi script in sepia ink, in later stamped dark tan morocco leather binding, the text panel 24cm x 14.5cm and the folio 28.5 x 18cm.
Estimate: £500-£700
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SHARH-I MUKHTASAR AL-SALAHI BY SHAMSUDDIN MOHAMMAD EBN AL MUZAFFAR AL KHATIBI (D. 1344)
Egypt or Syria, dated 785 AH (1383)
Arabic manuscript on arithmetic, algebra, and geometry, 84ff. plus three fly-leaves, each folio with 21ll. of black ink naskh on paper, with red markings and geometric drawings, signed Sheikh Hassan Al Rumi, in later calf binding, the folio 15.2cm x 105cm.
Estimate: £3,000-£4,000
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A MANUSCRIPT ON LANGUAGE AND SEMANTICS
Possibly Hejaz, Saudi Arabia, 15th century
Arabic manuscript on paper, two volumes bound together, Sharh-i Risaleh Al-Mizan and Hashiya Rabi’ A’jinan, a commentary on the Sharh-i Al-Mizan by ‘Ali Al-Abivardi, the Sharh with 20ff. plus one fly-leaf, each folio with 15ll.; the Hashiya with 28ff., each folio with 23ll., in black ink naskh script, profuse marginal annotations, in later restored flapped leather binding covered in ecru paper, the folio 17.5cm x 13.5cm.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,200
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A LOOSE FOLIO FROM A MAGHRIBI QUR’AN
North Africa, 15th century
Sura 14 (Ibrahim), vv. 33-38, Arabic manuscript on vellum of free-flowing maghribi script in sepia ink, 15ll. to the page, clusters of gold roundels as verse markers, red and blue diacritic marks, the sura heading in gold ink marked by a marginal gold palmette, the folio 19cm x 17.5cm.
Estimate: £800-£1,000
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TWO MAGHRIBI QUR’ANIC JUZ’
Possibly Morocco or North Africa, 14th – 15th century
Qur’anic Juz’ 17 and 18, Arabic manuscript on vellum, 44ff. plus three fly-leaves, each folio with 15ll. of sepia ink maghribi script, with red diacritic marks, gold and polychrome roundels as verse markers and similar but larger ones for marginal markings, sura headings in gold, several folios with marginal annotations in a different hand and ink, rebound in blind-tooled and gold-marked red morocco leather with flap, the folio 14.5cm x 12cm.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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SEVEN LOOSE QUR’ANIC FOLIOS
Egypt or Iran, 15th century
Sura 4 (Al Nisa), Arabic manuscript on paper, 11ll. to the page in black ink thuluth script, with full diacritic marks, aya markings as gold and polychrome rosettes, on the margins blue, red and gold illuminated circular medallions with juz’ and other marginal markings, the sura heading on the last folio in white ink highlighted in gold against a cobalt blue ground with scrolling vegetal tendrils heightened in red ink, within gold and red rules, next to it an illuminated roundel filled with a stylised lotus flower, the folio 31.5cm x 24cm.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,200
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A QUR’AN SECTION, JUZ’ 19
Egypt or Syria, 14th – 15th century
From Al-Furqaan 25 to An-Nam 54, Arabic manuscript on paper, in thuluth script in black ink, with later Persian translations in red in nasta’liq script, 8ff. plus six fly-leaves, each folio with 7ll., sura heading in white within gold clouds within a sepia cartouche, marginal markings in gold and sepia, aya markings in gold circles, within blue and gold rules, the sixth folio inscribed, on the margin in gold a tribute to Yaqut ibn Abdullah Al Musta’sami (D. 1298 AD), in later blind-tooled morocco binding, the text panel 16cm x 9.5cm and the folio 22.5cm x 15cm.
Estimate: £2,000-£3,000
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A LOOSE BIFOLIO FROM A MAGHRIBI QUR’AN
Possibly North Africa, 16th – 17th century
Sura 10 (Yunus), Arabic manuscript on paper, 5ll. to the page of sepia ink maghribi script, with diacritic marks in blue, red, dark red ink, gold and polychrome roundels as verse markers, marginal roundel and drop-shaped medallions decorated in gold and dark red ink, the recto of the bifolio characterised by a watermarked khamsa (palm-shaped amulet) only visible through direct light exposure, mounted on white cardboard frame, the text panel 13cm x 12cm and the folio 19.5cm x 19cm.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A LOOSE QUR’ANIC FOLIO
Egypt or Iran, 15th century
Sura 54 (Al Qamar), Arabic manuscript on paper, 13ll. to the page of black ink thuluth script, with red and black ink diacritic marks and annotations, polychrome and gold rosettes as verse markers, sura heading in gold ink outlined in black ink, catchwords and marginal markings in drop-shaped and round gold and blue medallions, the verso similar, mounted, framed and glazed, the folio 37cm x 25cm and 59cm x 46cm including the frame.
Provenance: UK private collection since 1980s
Estimate: £400-£600
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A SELECTION OF SIX LOOSE QUR’ANIC FOLIOS
Egypt, Syria and Iran, 14th – 16th Century
Comprising a miscellaneous selection of Qur’anic suras, Arabic manuscripts on paper, two bifolios, 5ll. and 7ll. to the page of black ink thuluth script, with full diacritic marks, polychrome rosettes and gold drops as verse markers; one bifolio, 15ll. to the page of black ink naskh script, with diacritic marks and gold roundels as verse markers, sura headings in gold ink highlighted in black; and three large loose folios, 7ll., 9ll. and 12ll. to the page of black ink thuluth script, with full diacritic marks, two folios with Persian translations, rosettes and gold roundels as verse markers, marginal catchwords in intricately designed gold roundels and drop-shaped medallions, all folios mounted on cardboard, the largest text panel 38cm x 23.5cm and the folio 42.5cm x 31cm.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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A LOOSE QUR’ANIC FOLIO
Possibly Egypt or Syria, 15th – 16th Century
Sura 48 (Al Fath), Arabic manuscript on paper, 6ll. to the page of black ink thuluth script, with full diacritic marks, corrections in red ink, gold and blue roundels as verse markers, three large sura markings per folio, within gold and red rules, a marginal polylobed gold and blue medallion with the letter ayn, mounted, framed and glazed, the folio 24cm x 17.5cm and 46.5cm x 38.5cm including the frame.
Provenance: UK private collection since 1990s.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A MAMLUK QUR’AN SECTION, JUZ’ 28
Possibly Egypt or Syria, 15th century
Arabic manuscript on paper, 21ff., 9ll. to the page of black ink naskh script, with full diacritic marks, three drop-shaped commas design as verse markers, the opening folio with sura heading in gold ink the contour in black ink, highlighted by a cloud design against blue chequered background with gold scrolling tendrils, within a densely decorated frame with split palmettes and flower heads against a cobalt blue ground, intricate gold and blue roundels as marginal markers, the text panel 15.5cm x 10.5cm and the folio 25cm x 16.5cm.
Estimate: £1,400-£1,600
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A MAMLUK LAND TREATY FOR SULTAN QANSUH AL-GHURI
Egypt, dated 919 AH (1513)
Arabic manuscript on paper, single folio, a total of 80ll. on the recto and 15ll. more on the verso of black ink free-flowing naskh script, marginal annotations, signatures at the end of the document, an ownership seal between the first and second line, the folio 232cm x 32.5cm.
The exceptionally large size of this imperial document underlines its importance as a political document. The calligraphic style and the upward bend of the lines suggest a strong connection to later Ottoman treaties and firman documents in diwani script, which are likely to have derived from these Mamluk predecessors.
Estimate: £5,000-£7,000
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A KITAB AL ADAB BY MUHAMMAD AL BUKHARI (810-870AD)
North Africa, 19th century
A collection of hadith on matters of respect and propriety, Arabic manuscript on paper, 225ff. with one fly-leaf, each folio with 21ll., in black ink with red and blue markings, in maghribi script, the opening folio and the colophon with titles in gold in elaborate red and blue and black illumination, the text within red and blue rules, chapter headings in gold, catchwords, in gilt, tooled and flapped calf, the text panel 20cm x 13.3cm and the folio 29cm x 22cm.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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A MOROCCAN DALA’IL AL-KHAYRAT
Morocco, 19th century
A collection of prayers, Arabic manuscript on paper, in maghribi script, 214ff. plus two fly-leaves, each folio with 8ll., in black ink with chapter headings and certain words in primary colours, with stylised illuminated charts and graphs, catchwords, the book in two parts and in two hands, the second part in finer nib, the text within blue and red rules, in blind-tooled calf flapped binding, the text panel 7.7cm x 7cm and the folio 10.5cm x 10cm.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A MAGHRIBI DALA’IL AL-KHAYRAT
North Africa, 18th – 19th century
A collection of prayers, Arabic manuscript on paper, 172ff. plus four coloured fly-leaves, each folio with 10ll., in sepia ink maghribi script, the text with red, blue, and gold highlights, within blue and red rulings, the illuminated chapter headings in polychromes and gold, catchwords, bound in tooled flapped calf, with several illuminated folios, the text panel 6.5cm x 5.5cm and the folio 10.5cm x 9.5cm.
Estimate: £3,000-£5,000
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A MANUSCRIPT OF NOTES ON A MEDICAL BOOK
Ottoman Provinces, dated 12 Jamada Al Awwal 1243 AH (1827)
Arabic manuscript on paper, 23ff. plus two fly-leaves, 21ll. to the page of black ink naskh script, underscores and important catchwords in red ink, three anatomical tinted drawings, two on the margins and the last one on the final page, dated 1243 AH, commissioned by Molla Sarmast, in plain red leather binding, the text panel 18.5cm x 9.5cm and the folio 24cm x 13.8cm.
Estimate: £3,000-£5,000
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NAHAYAT AL-TANWIH
Ottoman provinces, 16th century
Arabic manuscript on paper, on religious teachings and jurisprudence, 77ff. plus two fly-leaves, each folio with 17ll. in black ink naskh script, with red chapter headings and highlights, catchwords, in later blind-tooled calf binding, dated 987 AH (1579), the folio 20cm x 14cm.
Estimate: £800-£1,000
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A MEDICAL INDEX
Possibly Ottoman Turkey or Provinces, dated 996 AH (1588)
Arabic manuscript on paper, 33ff. plus four fly-leaves, 20ll. to the page of black ink naskh script, important words and index markings in red ink, later marginal annotations in black ink, the date on the final page 996 AH, in later red morocco leather binding with tooled gilt flower on the spine, the text panel 12.8cm x 6cm and the folio 18.5cm x 10cm.
Estimate: £2,400-£2,600
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QANIYAT AL MUSTAFID BY HAKIM AL MAGHRIBI
Hejaz, Saudi Arabia, dated 1130 AH (1717)
A compendium on the influence of planetary configurations on the nature and upbringing of children, Arabic manuscript on paper, 171ff. plus two fly-leaves, each folio with 21ll., chapter headings in red, signed Fazl Al-Tabari Al-Hussaini Al-Malaki, Mecca, in restored flapped calf binding, re-covered in yellow paper, the folio 22cm x 15cm.
Estimate: £6,000-£8,000
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AN OTTOMAN WOODEN ASTROLABIC QUADRANT
Ottoman Turkey, 19th century
A wooden lacquered quadrant with markings in red and black, gilt frame, the ecliptic in red, the divided horizon with gilt dotted decoration every five degrees, above the missing plumb bob graft, a signature in the name of Shani, possibly the maker, 13.7cm radius and 2cm deep.
Estimate: £500-£700
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AN OTTOMAN FIRMAN
Ottoman Turkey, 19th century
Ottoman Turkish manuscript on burnished paper, 8ll. to the page of black ink diwani script, some areas of the script sprinkled with gold dust, at the top the elegant tughra of Murad V (1876) in black ink, on the reverse a faded ownership seal, mounted on blue cardboard, the folio 59.5cm x 27.4cm.
Estimate: £500-£700
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AN OTTOMAN FIRMAN
Ottoman Turkey, 19th century
Ottoman Turkish manuscript on burnished paper, 10ll. to the page of black ink diwani script, some areas of the script sprinkled with gold dust, at the top the tughra of Mehmed V (r. 1909 – 1918)
in black ink, on the reverse an ownership seal, the upper part of the folio with a watermark representing a rodent, only visible with direct light exposure, mounted on blue cardboard, the folio 77cm x 27cm.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A LOOSE QUR’ANIC OPENING FOLIO
Ottoman Turkey, 17th – 18th century
Sura 2 (Al Baqara), Arabic manuscript on paper, the folio with 6ll. of free-flowing black ink thuluth script, black diacritic marks, once part of a monumental opening bifolio with richly ornate borders in gold, orange and light blue pigments, sura heading in white ink against a gold ground in a polylobed cartouche, the heading filled with gold vegetal tendrils repeating the same pattern of the outer borders and framed within orange and gold rules, the recto with polychrome and gold roundels as verse markers, within gold rules, mounted, framed and glazed, the folio 35cm x 22cm and 64cm x 47.5cm including the frame.
Provenance: UK private collection since 1980s.
Estimate: £600-£800
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AN OTTOMAN QUR’AN
Ottoman Turkey, 19th century
Arabic manuscript on paper, 292ff., plus three fly-leaves, each folio with 15ll., in naskh script, the opening bifolio illuminated in polychromes and gold with floral borders, the text within gold, black, and blue rules, aya markings in gold circles, marginal markings of stellar rosettes in gold and pastel shades, text markings in red, chapter headings in white ink, catchwords, copied by Seyyed Khalil Al-Helmi, in flapped tooled morocco binding, the text panel 12.4cm x 6.8cm and the folio 16.5cm x 11.3cm.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A MINIATURE QUR’AN
Ottoman Turkey, 19th century
Arabic manuscript in naskh script on paper, 321ff., plus two fly-leaves and printed green end-papers, each folio with 13ll., juz’ and other marginal marks in red ink, within gold and black rules, sura headings in red, aya markings in gold circles, catchwords, gilt decorations on the edges, in flapped morocco binding, the text panel 6cm x 3cm and the folio 9.5cm x 6cm.
Estimate: £500-£700
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TWO LOOSE MONUMENTAL OTTOMAN QUR’ANIC FOLIOS
Ottoman Provinces, 18th – 19th century
Sura 8 (Al Anfal), Arabic manuscript on paper, 13ll. to the page of black ink stylised thuluth script, with diacritic marks and red ink corrections, marginal annotations in black and red ink, polychrome and gold squares as verse markers, sura heading in white ink against a gold rectangular cartouche framed within red, blue and white borders, the sides filled with red chequered pattern, the large marginal roundel and drop-shaped medallions painted in vibrant blue, red, orange and gold, mounted, framed and glazed, the folio 54cm x 29.5cm and 76.8cm x 51.5cm including the frame.
Provenance: UK private collection since 1980s.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A SHAMA’IL AL-MUHAMMADIYA BY AL TIRMIDHI (824 – 892 AD)
Ottoman Turkey or Eastern provinces, early 19th century
Descriptions and characteristics of the holy Prophet, Arabic manuscript on paper, 81ff. plus two fly-leaves, each folio with 13ll. of black ink naskh script, the opening folio illuminated in gold, blue, red, and black, text markings and chapter headings in red, catchwords, the text panel within burnished gold rules, in leather end-papers, within gilt, tooled flapped binding, re-bound and re-spined, the text panel 10.3cm x 5cm and the folio 14.5cm x 9.7cm.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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AN OTTOMAN AL JAZULI’S DALA’IL AL-KHAYRAT
Ottoman Turkey, dated 1221 AH (1806)
Arabic manuscript on paper, 98ff. plus two spangled fly-leaves, each folio with 11ll. of black ink naskh script, the opening folio, charts and graphs, views of holy sites, and chapter headings illuminated in gold and polychromes, within gold, black, and red rules, sacred words in red, text markings in red and gold circles, colophon dated 1221 AH (1806), flapped gilt-tooled calf binding, the text panel 11.8cm x 6.9cm and the folio 18cm x 11.5cm.
Estimate: £4,000-£6,000
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A KITAB AL-SHIFA BY QAZI AYAZ ANDALUSI
Qaysaria, Ottoman Provinces, dated 1170 AH (1756)
The holy Prophet’s code and rights of conduct, Arabic manuscript on paper, 282ff. plus three fly-leaves, each folio with 21ll. of black ink naskh script, with red highlights and marginal notes, the opening folio illuminated in gold and polychromes in typical Ottoman style, the text within gold and black rules, catchwords, within flapped, tooled calf leather binding, signed Mustafa Ali Zada in Qaysaria (modern-day Caesarea, Israel), dated 1170 AH (1756), the text panel 17cm x 7cm and the folio 23cm x 13cm.
Estimate: £2,000-£3,000
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TWO LOOSE DOCUMENTS REGULATING DONATIONS
Jerusalem, 17th – 18th century
Arabic manuscripts on paper, each 10ll. to the page in black ink naskh script, one dated 1078-1079 AH (1668), without diacritic marks, the rubbed remains of an old seal on the top right corner, framed, 15.5cm x 11cm excluding the frame; the latter without a date, similar in style but with diacritic marks, no evidence of seals, framed, 15.4cm x 10.8cm excluding the frame.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A KITAB AL-MIZAN AL-SHA’RANIYA BY ‘ABD AL-WAHHAB BIN AHMAD AL-SHA’RANI (EGYPT 1492-1565)
Ottoman Provinces, dated 1856
A treatise on the four Sunni law schools of Islam with several diagrams, Arabic manuscript on paper, 397ff. plus one fly-leaf, each folio with 29ll. of black ink naskh script with red marks, within red rules, four folios with colourful illuminations and charts, with marbled paper on the inside of the flap, within tooled and gilt flapped binding stamped with an elegant tughra within an oval cartouche, the text panel 23.5cm x 12cm and the folio 29.5cm x 21cm.
Two similar manuscripts have been successfully sold at Christie’s South Kensington, 28 April 2017, lot 174, and Bonham’s London, 24 April 2018, lot 121.
Estimate: £3,000-£5,000
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A MOFRADAT AL-TEBB: A BOOK ON THE SINGULARITIES OF MEDICINE
Ottoman Turkey, late 18th – early 19th century
An on-going note book variously dated 1196 AH, 1197 AH, 1199 AH (circa 1781 – 1784), Arabic manuscript on paper, 122ff., initial folios written in diagonal lines with 15ll., subsequent ones with horizontal lines with 17ll., the two opening bifolios illuminated in Ottoman style, the final section incised for diagonal writing in a blank grid, chapter headings in red ink, within gold, blue,and red rules, bound in pressed moire silk, the leather spine stamped and gilt, Hefz es-Sehheh (safeguarding of health), the text panel 14.5cm x 8.8cm and the folio 19cm x 13cm.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A COMPLETE SUB-SAHARAN AL JAZULI’S DALA’IL AL-KHAYRAT
Sub-Saharan Africa, 20th century
Arabic manuscript on paper, 163ff, each folio with 11ll. of crude maghribi script in sepia and red ink, within end boards, illustrations in plain crude colours, in fitted leather satchel with tooled and embroidered detail, the final 7 folios in different paper, the text panel 12cm x 8.8cm and the folio 18cm x 11.5cm, the satchel 19cm x 14cm x 4cm.
Estimate: £200-£300
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A SELECTION OF THREE CALLIGRAPHIC COMPOSITIONS (LEVHA)
Ottoman Turkey and Provinces, late 19th – early 20th century
Arabic manuscripts on paper, two compositions in black ink thuluth script, with full diacritic marks, one on green burnished paper, the latter on cream paper within gold, pink and blue rules, both mounted on white cardboard, the largest folio 45.8cm x 63.6cm; and the third composition in bold red ink nasta’liq script, within gold rules, mounted on later cobalt blue-painted cardboard, the folio 33cm x 55cm.
Estimate: £400-£600
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* AN ILLUMINATED QUR’ANIC SECTION, JUZ’ 12
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
China, 18th century
Arabic manuscript on paper, 58ff. plus two fly-leaves, each folio with 5ll. of strong black sini script, opening bifolio illuminated in gold and blue and red, verses marked in gold rosettes, with red highlights, within red rules, sura headings in gold within red markings, catchwords, end papers covered in blue cotton paste-down, within flapped blind-tooled black calf binding, the text panel 19.8cm x 13.8cm and the folio 29cm x 21cm.
* 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.
Estimate: £2,000-£3,000
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A LOOSE FOLIO FROM A SHAHNAMA MANUSCRIPT
Ottoman Provinces, late 18th – early 19th century
Persian manuscript on paper, 15ll. to the page of nasta’liq script, with opaque pigments heightened with gold, the illustration in the lower centre of the folio depicting soldiers and high officials gathered in a camp of tents, a central cartouche in white ink on gold ground and with cobalt blue edges with gold tendrils referring to the scene illustrated, ‘Snow falling on Esfandiyar and the army of the Sixth Khan’, mounted, framed and glazed, 45cm x 33.5cm including the frame.
Estimate: £200-£300
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SEVEN LITHOGRAPHED HAJJ CERTIFICATES
Ottoman Provinces and Mecca, 20th century
Comprising seven coloured printed certificates of the pilgrimage to the Muslim sacred sites, each slightly different but overall with the same composition of a large panoramic view of the interior of the Masjid al-Haram with Ka’aba at its centre and views of other sacred sites in smaller roundels or cartouches at the bottom or on the margins, the largest approximately 50cm x 69.5cm.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A LARGE OTTOMAN CARVED MARBLE TURBAN
Ottoman Turkey, late 18th century
Carved in the round, with a tall cylindrical central element with diamond-shaped pattern wrapped by two plain lateral folds joining in the middle, the shape usually associated with members of the royal entourage and of the political elite of the high Ottoman dignitaries, on a black stand, 35.3cm high including stand.
Provenance: purchased in France and in UK private collection since mid 1980s.
Estimate: £1,800-£2,200
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AN OTTOMAN CARVED MARBLE TURBAN
Ottoman Turkey, 19th century
Carved in the round, of oval shape, with a central circular element around which several plain folds have been wrapped, on a black stand, 29.8 cm high including stand.
Provenance: purchased in France and in UK private collection since mid 1980s.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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AN OTTOMAN CARVED MARBLE TURBAN
Ottoman Turkey, late 18th – early 19th century
Carved in the round, with the ogival form carved with diagonal lines representing the folds of the turban cloth, the shape usually associated with members of the religious elite, on a black stand, 50.3cm high including stand.
Provenance: purchased in France and in UK private collection since mid 1980s.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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AN OTTOMAN CARVED MARBLE TURBAN
Ottoman Turkey, late 18th – early 19th Century
Carved in the round, with a flat top, the diagonal lines forming intertwining folds of the turban cloth, the shape common and associated with low rank officials, on a black stand, 34.2cm including stand.
Provenance: purchased in France and in UK private collection since mid 1980s.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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A GILT CLEAR GLASS VASE
Ottoman Turkey, late 19th century
The gourd-shaped body resting on a splayed circular foot and rising to a tall cylindrical neck, two sinuous handles on the sides, ornate with cut and gilt decoration consisting of leafy vegetal tendrils, palmettes and stylised geometric patterns, 27.5cm high.
Estimate: £300-£500
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* A CLEAR GLASS CUP WITH TUGHRA OF ABDUL HAMID II (R. 1876 – 1909)
Ottoman Turkey, late 19th century
On circular flat foot, the base with cut geometric and stellar designs, the hemispherical cup decorated with diamond-shaped panels, a central opaque roundel with Abdul Hamid II’s tughra incised, 11.4cm high.
Provenance: Swiss private collection since late 1970s.
Estimate: £150-£300
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AN OTTOMAN SILVER TRAY WITH VIEW OF HAGIA SOPHIA
Ottoman Turkey, 19th century
Of oval shape, on plain base, with intricate filigree borders and sinuous side handles, the body incised with a central medallion depicting a city view of Ottoman imperial mosque Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, and a flower garland around the edges, with Latvian import marks, tughra and assay marks, 65.5cm wide from handle to handle.
Estimate: £1,500-£2,000
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TWO NIELLOED-SILVER SILVER DISHES
Ottoman Greece or Balkans, 19th century
Comprising two dishes of circular form, on plain base, the engraved interior surface filled with niello decoration consisting of a central roundel with a rosette inside a six-pointed star, the borders with Greek crosses, the cavetto with six polylobed cartouches with floral blooms alternated to birds, 13.5cm diam.
Estimate: £400-£600
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THREE SILVER REPOUSSÉ VESSELS
Ottoman Greece or Balkans, 19th century
Comprising a dish with crenellated rim and convex centre, the decoration consisting of a winged figure riding a chariot with horses in the centre, the cavetto plain, the rim with horned satyrs, naked men, animals and other mythical figures playing instruments and dancing, the inspiration for this repertoire possibly based on Dionysiac scenes and various mythological themes grounded in the Graeco-Roman past, 24cm diam.; and two bowls, with similar design and composition, the largest 21.5cm diam.
For a broader discussion on the mythological decorative themes of these vessels, please see Brigitte Pitarakis and Christos Merantzas, A Treasured Memory: Ecclesiastical Silver from Late Ottoman Istanbul in the Sevgi Gönül Collection, 2006, pp. 103-104 and figs. 63-64. A similar dish successfully sold at Bonhams London, 17 October 2002, lot 362.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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AN ARMENIAN SILVER BOX
Ottoman Provinces, dated 1843
Of oval shape, on flat base, the repoussé lid with a cup in the centre holding up a cross, a spear, a stick and a bunch of flowers, an inscription with the letters ‘YSKS’ in Armenian characters below the cup, the border with a decoration imitating sun rays or a halo, the interior lid with figures typical of Christian iconography of God and two angels, on the side an undeciphered Armenian inscription and the date, the interior parcel gilt, 4cm x 10cm.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A SMALL SILVER REPOUSSÉ BEAKER
Ottoman Turkey, 19th century
Of traditional sinuous shape, on circular flat base, with flared rim, the repoussé decoration consisting of animals in the wilderness surrounded by flowers and lush fruit-bearing trees, with sah and assay marks on the base and amidst decoration, 8.7cm high.
Estimate: £150-£200
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A TINNED COPPER JUG
Ottoman Provinces, 18th – 19th century
Of bulbous shape, on circular splayed foot, with a tall flared neck bearing an inscription in Western Armenian characters, the body gadrooned, on the side a stylised dragon handle, 12cm high.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A PIRI PIRI EMBROIDERED SLEEVELESS ROBE
Ottoman Greece or Albania, 19th century
The voluminous bias-cut black wool ground heavily worked with metallic thread ribbon and couched metallic thread and coloured wool highlights with large butis and elaborate scrolls, the front opening with two rows of decorative buttons, the back panel in-filled with a compact design within metallic thread ribbons and frogging, lined in printed cotton in black and reds and pink floral stripes in the manner of Kashmir and Kirman shawl borders, 116cm length from back of neck to hem.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A NEAR PAIR OF SILVER SHERBET CUPS
Ottoman Turkey, 19th century
Each of conical shape, surmounted by a hemispherical lid with a floral knob on top, a stylised animal handle on the side, each with its own dish, the exterior engraved with floral motifs, the interior parcel gilt, with Sultan Abdul Hamid II’s (r. 1876 – 1909) tughra, sah and assay marks, 13.8cm high.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,200
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TWO SMALL OTTOMAN SILVER BEAKERS
Ottoman Turkey, late 19th – early 20th century
Each of cylindrical shape with ridged rim, resting on plain base, the body engraved with elegant knotwork, stylised vegetal tendrils and polylobed cartouches filled with city views, the Sultan’s tughra and Ottoman coat of arms, each with assay marks on the base and Sultan Abdulhamid II’s (r. 1876-1909) tughra marks on the main body, stamped 90 carats, 8.5cm high.
Estimate: £150-£300
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* THREE PAIRS OF WHITE METAL ZARF HOLDERS WITH SIX SPOONS WITH FILIGREE-DECORATED HANDLES
Ottoman Turkey, end of 19th – early 20th century
Comprising three pairs of zarf holders, two of conical shape with embossed decoration with floral bouquets, vegetal tendrils and festoons, the remaining one of hemispherical shape with incised decoration with fine scrolling festoon below the lid and ridged design on the bottom, all on splayed feet, the tallest 6.3cm; and six white metal spoons with filigree work on the handles with rosettes and oval leaves, 16cm long.
Provenance: Swiss private collection since late 1970s.
Estimate: £400-£600
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THREE OTTOMAN TOILETRY AND SNUFF BOXES
Ottoman Turkey and Provinces, 19th – 20th century
Comprising three boxes, one repoussé with vegetal motif on the lid; a rectangular sash box with incised decoration depicting a coat of arms on one side and a mosque on the latter, floral border on the sides, with undeciphered tughra and stamped ’84’; and a rectangular box with incised decoration depicting a coat of arms on one side and a chequered background on the latter, plain sides, with Mehmed V tughra (r. 1909 – 1918), 9cm x 6cm the largest.
Estimate: £200-£300
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AN IZNIK POTTERY DISH
Ottoman Turkey, late 17th – 18th century
Of typical shallow shape, with flat everted rim, on circular foot drilled on one side, the white interior painted in bole red, cobalt blue and green within black lines, a central floral bloom with a stylised saz leaf, rosettes and other flowers rising from a tuft of grass, black spirals as background, the cavetto with stylised waves pattern, a band of flower heads on the rim, the exterior plain, 30cm diam.
Estimate: £600-£800
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AN IZNIK POTTERY DISH
Ottoman Turkey, 17th century
Of typical shape, with everted rim on short foot, the white interior painted in bole red, cobalt blue and green within black lines, with a central stylised rosette motif with trilobed petals spreading to the exterior, with blue and black stylised wave and rock border, the exterior with blue and green decorative motifs, 25.4cm diam.
Estimate: £700-£900
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AN IZNIK POTTERY TILE
Ottoman Turkey, late 16th century
Of square shape, the vibrantly-drawn blue, green and brown sprays of prunus and tulip and carnations with red bole highlights to the flower-heads and outlining the lobed cartouches, against a white ground, 24cm x 22cm.
Provenance: UK private collection 1937 – 2013 and with present vendor since.
Estimate: £1,500-£1,800
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AN IZNIK POTTERY DISH
Ottoman Turkey, 17th century
Of typical shallow form, with flat everted rim, on short circular foot, the white interior painted in bole red, cobalt blue and turquoise within black lines, with a central arabesque motif with split palmettes against a turquoise ground, the rim with black stylised wave and rock border, plain exterior, 26.8cm diam.
Provenance: Millon, 7 December 2011, lot 81.
Estimate: £800-£1,000
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A FIGURAL IZNIK POTTERY DISH
Ottoman Turkey, 17th Century
Of typical shallow shape, with flat everted rim, on circular foot, the white interior painted in bole red, cobalt blue and green within black lines, covered with a thick translucent turquoise glaze, in the centre a bird amidst stylised floral tendrils, the rim with a triangular geometric pattern, the exterior with blue and green circular motifs, 25cm diam.
Estimate: £1,400-£1,600
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AN IZNIK POTTERY TILE
Ottoman Turkey, late 16th – early 17th century
Of square shape, the blue and turquoise decoration painted against a white ground and consisting of stylised scrolling tendrils with lotus flowers, elongated tulips and prunus-bearing saz leaves, 25cm x 23cm.
Provenance: UK private collection 1937 – 2013 and with present vendor since.
Estimate: £1,200-£1,400
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AN IZNIK POTTERY TILE
Ottoman Turkey, late 16th century
Of square shape, the decoration consisting of blue and green floral stems and tulips with bole red highlights to flower-heads against a white ground, 25cm x 26cm.
Provenance: UK private collection 1937 – 2013 and with present vendor since.
Estimate: £1,500-£1,800
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TWO IZNIK POTTERY TILES
Ottoman Turkey, 17th Century
Of rectangular shape, painted in blue and turquoise on a white ground, a central rosette surrounded by floral scrolls with tulips, carnations, split palmettes and smaller rosettes, one panel more naive in style and with a darker clay than the other, possibly Damascus-ware rather than Iznik, mounted and framed, 15.5cm x 55cm including the frame.
Estimate: £1,800-£2,200
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A PANEL OF IZNIK POTTERY TILES
Ottoman Turkey, 17th Century
Squared, composed by two full pottery tiles and four fragments, three of the fragments dating to 19th century, the rest 17th century, painted in cobalt blue and turquoise on a white ground, in the centre a triumph of saz leaves, prunus blossoms, stylised lotus flowers and rosettes emerging from a bulbous vase decorated with interlocking tendrils of split palmettes, mounted and framed, 59.5cm x 60cm including the frame.
Estimate: £4,000-£6,000
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A DAMASCUS TURQUOISE-GLAZED POTTERY DISH FRAGMENT
Ottoman Provinces, 17th century
Of circular shape, resting on a circular straight foot, drilled, the missing rim once splayed, the black painted decoration under transparent turquoise-blue glaze with a floral bloom of tulips, carnations and stylised prunus blossom, 21cm diam.
Estimate: £400-£600
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TWO DAMASCUS POTTERY TILES
Ottoman Syria, 17th century
Each of square shape, painted in blue, turquoise, green and manganese purple, the decoration consisting of intertwined tulips, carnations, stylised polylobed medallions and leafy vegetal tendrils on a white ground, each 26.2cm x 26.4cm.
Estimate: £1,200-£1,400
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AN OTTOMAN SILVER DECORATIVE PLAQUE
Ottoman Turkey, late 19th century
Of oval shape, the repoussé decoration consisting of a lush triumph of roses and vegetal spray issuing forth from a central vase, with tughra and sah marks, mounted on a later red velvet oval panel, 39cm high including mounting.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A KUTAHYA POTTERY ROSEWATER SPRINKLER
Ottoman Turkey, 18th century
Of typical bulbous form, on short circular foot, with a tall thin and tapering silver neck, decorated in blue, red, green, yellow, and black against a pale earthen ground in eight segments with geometric and floral forms, the silver neck decorated in a ribbed pattern, and the screw on tip with five perforations, 21cm high.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A POLYCHROME KUTAHYA POTTERY VASE
Ottoman Turkey, 19th century
Of pyriform shape, on short circular foot, rising to a flared neck, painted in bole red, cobalt blue, yellow, turquoise, manganese purple and black on a white ground, the Iznik-style decoration consisting of interlocking blooming tendrils of tulips and carnations surrounded by rosettes and other flower heads, 29cm high.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A MING BLUE AND WHITE ROSEWATER SPRINKLER FOR THE OTTOMAN MARKET
China, 17th century
The body of typical bulbous form, on a short circular foot, with a tall thin silver neck, the blue painted decoration against a white ground consisting of a stylised vegetal motif with floral bulbs and lush leaves, the silver neck a 19th-century addition, 36.2cm high.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A HARDWOOD MOTHER-OF-PEARL-INLAID SYRIAN SCREEN WITH ENAMELLED PLAQUES
Ottoman Syria, dated 1898
Of tall rectangular shape, the screen unfolding in three separate panels joint together, each panel resting on two feet and with intricate woodwork and pierced lattice work, the central panel with a protruding element in the style of a mashrabiya, the two lateral panels with polychrome enamelled plaques depicting a variety of scenes from festivals, local folklore, and religious traditions, on the borders and on the crenellated top mother-of-pearl-inlaid stars and geometric motifs, 198cm x 180cm.
Estimate: £2,000-£3,000
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TWO OTTOMAN BELTS
Ottoman Turkey, late 19th – early 20th century
Each with white metal plaques mounted and secured on a leather strip, decorated with bosses and vegetal scrolls in the background, the belt buckles with a central raised oval element and ornate with eight ‘star and crescent moon’ symbols, incised with vegetal tendrils in the background, 80.5cm long when open.
Provenance: Sotheby’s London, 24 April 1997, lot 773.
Estimate: £400-£600
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AN OTTOMAN SILVER BELT
Ottoman Turkey, first quarter 20th century
Made of several pliable parcel-gilt silver chains woven together, the engraved belt clasp and buckle decorated with floral motifs and a rooster, each element marked with Mehmed V’s (r. 1909 – 1918) tughra and sah marks, 97.5cm long when open.
Provenance: UK private collection since 1980s.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A CAUCASIAN NIELLO AND SILVER BELT
Ottoman Caucasus, late 19th – early 20th century
With silver plaques mounted and secured on a leather strip, decorated with oval medallions filled with stylised arabesques, the belt buckle dome-shaped, hanging from the buckle a decorative chain with filigree work, each plaque stamped ’84’, 74.5cm when open.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A HARDWOOD MOTHER-OF-PEARL-INLAID OCCASIONAL TABLE
Ottoman Provinces, early 20th century
Of octagonal form, the legs and top inlaid with triangular mother-of-pearl tesserae, a calligraphic cartouche and incised medallions filled with split palmettes in the centre of the top, similar patterns repeated on the legs, 62cm high and 46cm diam.
Estimate: £300-£500
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TWO WOODEN CHAIRS
Possibly Ottoman Syria or Provinces, end of 19th – 20th century
Of traditional shape, carved and decorated with vegetal bands, geometric motifs and six-pointed stars, the backrest of these synagogue’s chairs inscribed in Hebrew characters with the person’s name and seat number, Adolf Karnoya 991, the middle inscription stating ‘the people of the covenant’, 80cm x 54cm.
Provenance: purchased in London in the late 1970s and kept in a private warehouse since.
Estimate: £600-£800
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* FOUR TOPHANE POTTERY PIPES
Ottoman Turkey, late 19th – early 20th century
Comprising two pipes with gilt decoration and maker’s stamp on the bottom ‘E. Fuchez Constantinople’, the largest 8cm long; and two carved and incised pipes with respective mouthpieces, one stamped by the same maker above, the longest 29cm.
Provenance: Swiss private collection since late 1970s.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A SMALL HARDWOOD MOTHER-OF-PEARL-INLAID OCCASIONAL TABLE
Ottoman Provinces, 20th century
Of hexagonal form, the legs and top inlaid with mother-of-pearl tesserae and with darker woods marquetry work, a six-pointed star in the centre of the top, 47.5cm high and 36cm diam.
Estimate: £150-£200
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A HARDWOOD MOTHER-OF-PEARL AND SILVER WIRE-INLAID CRADLE
Ottoman Turkey, late 19th century
Of traditional shape, the cylindrical body on two rocking chair feet, an openwork oval screen to each end joined by a circular post above, the inlaid decoration made of triangular mother-of-pearl tesserae and silver wire shaped in geometric patterns, star and floral motifs and ornamental bands, 59cm x 100cm.
Estimate: £300-£500
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* A GROUP OF SIX OTTOMAN EMBROIDERED TOWELS
Turkey, late 19th – early 20th century
Comprising an oblong panel of green linen with ends worked in a variety of stitches in silks and silver metal tape with stylised flowers and spraying branches, 42cm x 148cm; a large towel with ends worked in flat-worked gold metal tape, and silver wire thread and pink, green, and maroon silks with boucle knots with birds on branches, the ends edged with croche ribbon, 84cm x 207cm; a small towel, the ends with couched floss silks and metal thread with a simplified floral frieze, 39cm x 104cm; an oblong panel of finely-woven natural linen with ends cross-stitched in coloured silks with repeating diagonal floral sprigs, 28cm x 194cm; an incomplete towel, with one end cross-stitched in bold colours with naive flowering vases, 40cm x 98cm; and a gauze cover, worked in metal thread with stars and scallops in the border, flowering bouquets in the corners, and small dots in the field, 118cm x 136cm.
Provenance: Swiss private collection since late 1970s.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A GROUP OF ENAMELLED CUPS AND A CLOISONNÉ ZARF
Ottoman Turkey, 18th century and later
Comprising two yellow enamelled cups with floral designs on the exterior, with metal rim and foot, the tallest 4.5cm high; one richly ornate light blue enamelled coffee cup with its own dish, decorated with cartouches of painted enamel with roses and flowers and white beads on gilt settings, 6cm high; and a gilt-copper (tombak) zarf with turquoise cloisonné enamel, a band of inlaid scrolling vegetal tendrils on the exterior, 4.2cm high.
A 17th-century zarf decorated in the same fashion was successfully sold at Sotheby’s London, 8 October 2014, lot 127.
Estimate: £400-£600
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AN OTTOMAN PAINTED AND GILT IRON EWER
Ottoman Turkey, 19th century
Of pyriform shape, on straight circular foot, rising to a tall tapering neck, with domed lid topped by a knob in the shape of a crescent moon, sinuous handle and spout on the sides, the painted and gilt decoration consisting of concentric bands of stylised lotus flowers, palmettes, acanthus leaves and geometric motifs, on the base an inventory number ‘2793’ and old ownership sticker of the Subert Antique Art Gallery in Milan, 33cm high.
Estimate: £800-£1,000
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A MISCELLANEOUS SELECTION OF OTTOMAN SOUVENIRS
Ottoman Turkey and Provinces, early 20th century
Comprising a fragment of a green satin silk cenotaph cover, woven in gold silk thread with typical chevron patterns in Arabic thuluth script, with the declaration of faith, part of sura Al Baqara (2), aya 144 relating to the change of qibla from the Al Aqsa mosque to Mecca, and sura Al Imran (3) , aya 96 relating to the Ka’ba in Mecca as the first house of prayer, and invocations to the creator in three of his sacred names within circular shapes flanking a mosque-lantern shape, machine-stitched to a cotton lining, 105cm x 83cm; an Ottoman sash, the natural cotton ends worked in a variety of stitches and drawn-threadwork in flattened metal thread and coloured silks with a stylised vase of flowers, 235cm x 28cm; a printed silk commemorative map handkerchief of the province of Sivas, with an Art Nouveau border in pink and red, dated 19 August 1319 AH (1917), 46cm x 46cm; and an Imperial Ottoman Commission card from the World’s Columbian Exposition (Chicago 1893).
Estimate: £200-£300
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* A SMALL CANAKKALE POTTERY EWER
Ottoman Turkey, 19th century
Of globular shape, resting on a circular splayed foot and rising to a tall cylindrical neck, the white-glazed body ornate with brown and green splashes, moulded rosettes and stylised cypress trees overall the exterior, 17.2cm high.
Provenance: Swiss private collection since late 1970s.
Estimate: £300-£500
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TWO LIGHT GREEN-GLAZED CANAKKALE POTTERY EWERS
Ottoman Turkey, 19th century
Each with bulbous body, long tapering neck and braided handle, the spout designed as a mythical beast’s face, the body and spout decorated with applied rosettes, 38cm high.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A KUTAHYA POTTERY COFFEE BEAN COOLER
Ottoman Turkey, 18th – 19th century
The turquoise-glazed body of pyriform shape ending with a flat rectangular pierced slit, the decoration in the centre and on the sides consisting of black-painted stylised seaweed and vegetal tendrils, 22cm long.
For a similar comparative example, please see the early 20th-century Kutahya coffee bean cooler now part of the permanent collection of the Pera Museum in Istanbul (https://blog.peramuzesi.org.tr/sergiler/pera-muzesi-kahve-molasi-sergisine-yeni-bir-eser-ekledik/).
Estimate: £600-£800
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* AN OTTOMAN BOCHA (EMBROIDERED PANEL)
Ottoman Turkey, early 20th century
Of square form, the seamed burgundy red silk velvet worked in metallic threads and spangles in a variety of stitches with a stellar centre surrounded by single flowers in a radiating circle, the corners with spraying foliage, all within scrolling and scalloped twin borders, lined in burgundy glazed cotton, 90cm x 92cm.
Provenance: Swiss private collection since late 1970s.
Estimate: £200-£300
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A KUTAHYA POTTERY CANDLE HOLDER AND SMALL DISH
Ottoman Anatolia, 18th century
Comprising a small circular candle holder, on straight tall foot, with everted rim, the blue, turquoise, yellow and red decoration consisting of a continuous band of floral bunches, 10.9cm diam.; and a small dish, on short circular foot, with everted rim, the aubergine-purple, turquoise, blue and red decoration consisting of stylised floral festoons on the cavetto and floral heads in the centre, 18.5cm diam.
Estimate: £800-£1,000
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* TWO OTTOMAN LADIES’ SILK HAMMAM TOWELS
Ottoman Turkey, early 20th century
Comprising two towels, one of oblong form, the puce and yellow broad-striped silk with twisted fringe, 108cm x 196cm; and the other, with burgundy ground woven with stylised geometric keys in white and madder and gold, the borders in yellow and indigo stripes, 93cm x 124cm.
Provenance: Swiss private collection since late 1970s.
Estimate: £200-£300
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A CAUCASIAN DAGGER (KINDJAL)
Possibly Kuban region, North Caucasus, dated 1914
With double-edged spike blade with medial ridge, incised with five-pointed star within two roundels below the ricasso, the hilt with rounded terminal with three bosses and engraved niello and parcel-gilt silver plaques in the front, niello-inlaid stars and moon on silver ground in the back, the sheath with niello and parcel-gilt chased scrollwork decoration in the front, the reverse with niello-inlaid ‘bow and arrow’ motif, stars and a serpent, lower section with silver wire, dated 1914 and inscribed in Cyrillic characters ‘A. P. Bedrosov’, 53.8cm long.
Bedrosov is a common surname in the Caucasian regions. Thus, a specific attribution would be hard to establish in this case. However, one Caucasian family bearing this surname that stood out particularly at the end of the 19th century/beginning of 20th century is the one of Isaac Petrovich (P.) Bedrosov. One of the most successful and travelled merchants in the inter-religious Kuban region, he established a tobacco company in the 1870s and named it P. Bedrosov and Sons in 1890s when his two sons joined his business and kept it running in the 20th century.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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A MAMLUK-REVIVAL BRASS BOWL AND CANDLESTICK
Egypt, late 19th – early 20th Century
Comprising a silver-inlaid brass bowl, of rounded shape, on flat base, the body decorated with a band of dense knotwork with thuluth calligraphic cartouches and split palmette medallions, 15cm diam.; and a silver-inlaid brass candlestick resting on six feet, the shaft screwed into the base, the body with similar decoration to the bowl, 23.5cm high.
Estimate: £200-£300
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A MISCELLANEOUS SELECTION OF OMANI AND YEMENI SILVERWARE AND SILVER JEWELLERY
Oman and Yemen, late 19th – early 20th century
Comprising thirteen items of silverware and jewellery including two wrist bangles incised with crosses and stylised lozenges, the largest 9cm diam.; a traditional large circular anklet with spikes and applied silver baubles, 10cm diam. and 18cm long; a necklace with flat hexagonal pendant ornate with filigree, baubles, small bells and round beads, 7.5cm x 11cm the pendant; a polylobed inkwell incised with rosettes, roundels and geometric motifs, 11.4cm long; a small pipe mouthpiece, 8cm long; a section of a huqqa, stamped 900 and with Omani silver marks, 10cm high; a ring inset with red paste, 5cm long; four oval pendants with different incised patterns and trinkets, the longest 11.5cm; and an egg-shaped pendant encrusted with blue paste, 4cm.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A GROUP OF THREE HISPANO-MORESQUE COPPER-LUSTRE POTTERY DISHES
Post-Nasrid Spain, 18th – 19th century
Each of circular form, on concave base, with central raised boss, the interiors painted in copper-lustre, the decoration consisting of an abstract geometric design, spirals, vegetal and floral patterns and highly stylised pseudo-Kufic inscription, mounted on old iron claw hangers, 35cm diam.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A GOLD AND SILVER-DAMASCENED IRON CARD HOLDER
Possibly Eibar, Spain, second half 19th century
Of rectangular shape, the lid hinged to the base and moving right to left, the body lavishly inlaid with gold and silver, the decoration consisting of a central oval frame filled with vegetal spray and stylised acanthus leaves, the oval contained within two concentric frames richly ornate with scrolling tendrils, arabesques and four roundels on the corners, the spine decorated with two bottony crosses against tendrils, vegetal spray and arabesques in the centre, 11.3cm long.
In the second half of 19th century, Spanish damascene metalwork witnessed an incredible flourishing thanks to the mastery and genius of a single family, the Zuloagas. The motifs decorating their artworks were very much indebted to the artistic vocabulary of Islamic Iberia (i.e. lush arabesques, acanthus leaves’ tendrils, floriated roundels) and often they included the Nasrid motto La Ghaliba Illa Allah in their compositions as well. The quality of the damascene work, the intricacy of the decoration and the selection of artistic motifs on this card holder show strong similarities with an iron mirror-frame decorated by Plácido Zuloaga, now in the Khalili Collections (inventory number ZUL23 – https://www.khalilicollections.org/collections/spanish-damascened-metalwork/khalili-collection-spanish-damascened-metalwork-iron-mirror-frame-zul23/), suggesting perhaps a direct Zuloaga or Zuloaga’s followers attribution.
Estimate: £400-£600
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TWO POTTERY INKWELLS
Morocco, 19th century
Comprising a polychrome pottery inkwell in the form of a mosque, seven circular apertures to the interior, painted in green, yellow and blue and decorated with arabesques and geometric motifs, 15.4cm long; and a blue-painted pottery inkwell in the form of a rosette, ten circular apertures, the exterior decorated stylised vegetal motifs, with a Christie’s King Street inventory number on the bottom, 12.5cm long.
The mosque-shaped inkwell looks extremely similar to one successfully sold at Christie’s South Kensington, 20 April 2007, lot 279.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A BLUE AND WHITE MOSQUE LAMP-SHAPED GINORI POTTERY VASE
Italy, late 19th – early 20th century
Of typical bulbous shape, resting on a circular splayed foot and rising to a tall flared neck with wide mouth, with three hanging hoops on the sides, the body covered in white slip and painted in cobalt blue with Arabic calligraphic inscriptions around the hanging hoops, on the rest of the body split palmettes, arabesques and Chinese cloud collar motifs inspired by Persian pottery, on the base the trademark ‘Ginori’ and the series ‘200-385’, 37cm high.
Estimate: £500-£700
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AN IZNIK-STYLE POTTERY JUG
Possibly France, late 19th century
The pyriform body rising to a flared neck and wide mouth, resting on a short circular foot, with an S-shaped handle on the side, painted in bright red, blue, turquoise and black, the decoration inspired by traditional Ottoman Iznik pottery with tendrils of carnations and rosettes bouquet, geometric decorative bands on the rim and handle, unmarked, 22.6cm high.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A NEAR PAIR OF MONUMENTAL IZNIK-STYLE BELGIAN POTTERY VASES
Belgium, early 20th century
Of globular shape, resting on a flat circular base, with splayed rim, the decoration painted in blue, turquoise, two different shades of green, pink, red and yellow, consisting of Iznik-style arabesques, split palmettes, lotus flowers, stylised saz leaves, tulips and rosettes, the composition framed within rosette bands, the foot and the interior of the rim with yellow and blue petal design, stamped ‘1047-16’ and ‘3033’ on the base, 42cm high and 36.5cm diam.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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VIEWS IN EGYPT FROM THE ORIGINAL DRAWINGS OF SIR ROBERT AINSLIE BY LUIGI MEYER
London, printed by Thomas Bensley, dated 1801
English printed book, 54ff. plus three fly-leaves, with 48 coloured printed plates with views from Egypt, its cultural landmarks, local traditions and people, a fresco of the Egyptian society, costume and architecture of the beginning of the 19th century, 47.5cm x 33.5cm.
Estimate: £100-£150
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FOUR WOODEN ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENTS
Bahrain, 20th century
Comprising two central panels connected by a long and thin iron bolt, the carved decoration consisting of two central roundels with the bismillah and roundel quarters with geometric motifs, rows of iron bosses at the top and bottom, the central band carved with squares and stylised floral pattern, 73cm x 79.8cm; and two fragments of the side panels, also carved with floral motifs, arabesques and geometric patterns, 114.3cm long.
Provenance: bought by the present vendor whilst placed in Bahrain in the early 1980s and in UK private collection since.
Estimate: £200-£400
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THIRTY AQUATINT ETCHINGS OF THE ARABIC ALPHABET BY HUSSEIN MADI (B. 1938)
Lebanon, printed in 1973, each signed and dated, edition 32/99
Thirty aquatint zinc etchings printed in black on 300gr cotton white paper, the first sheet bearing the name of Allah followed by twenty-nine letters of the Arabic alphabet, each designed within a central circle, the main decorative technique consisting of multiplying by several times in a constrained space the calligraphic shape of the single letter leading to a kaleidoscopic effect, presented in a dark grey box bound by a flat spine and with a front cover embossed with the artist’s signature and a representation of the word Alphabet in silver, each sheet 30cm x 24.4cm, each plate 15cm x 15cm.
The introductory title page relates to the later Alphabet lithograph now part of the British Museum collection (printed in 1994; edition 8/40; reference number BM2005,0725,0.2). In Madi’s works, it appears evident how his use of the art of calligraphy is half-pictorial and half-symbolical (E. Benezit, Grund, The Art of Madi, Al-Saqi Publisher, 2005). Indeed, Madi’s letters merge into pictograms, creating complex calligraphic blazons almost reminiscent of Japanese mon designs.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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A FARS SILVER-INLAID BRASS BOWL
Iran,14th century
Of shallow rounded form with slightly everted rim, on a flat base, the exterior incised with calligraphic cartouches alternating with rosette-shaped medallions with spirals and T-shaped motifs, a background of scrolling vine throughout the decorative band, traces of silver inlay still visible, inscribed on the rim with the owner’s name, Sahib Abdul Hussain Bin Merza, and with auspicious blessings, 18.5cm diam.
For a very similar example, please see Christie’s South Kensington, 20 April 2007, lot 43.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A QUR’ANIC SECTION, JUZ’ 12
Iran or Central Asia, late 16th century
Arabic manuscript on paper, 25ff. plus two fly-leaves and marbled end-papers, each folio with 13ll., the text panel in five sections, large font in blue and gold, the main text in black ink naskh, red markings, gold roundels as aya markings, marginal markings in blue and gold circles, sura headings in white ink against gold within blue outer frames, within gold, black, blue, and red rules, in later stamped calf binding, the text panel 17cm x 9.7cm and the folio 23.5cm x 16.5cm.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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A LOOSE QUR’ANIC FOLIO
Iran, 17th – 18th century
Sura 4 (Al Nisa), Arabic manuscript on gold-sprinkled paper, 12ll. to the page of black ink naskh script, with full diacritic marks in black ink, corrections in red ink, gold and blue roundels as verse markers, within green and gold rules, three large sura markings per folio in thuluth script in cobalt blue and gold ink highlighted with cloud pattern against a chequered ground, the borders finely decorated with scrolling floral tendrils with polychrome rosettes and gold leaves, mounted, framed and glazed, the folio 22.5cm x 13.8cm and 32cm x 23cm including the frame.
Estimate: £200-£300
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A HASHIYA TAHZIB UL-MANTIQ BY MULLA NAJM UDDIN SHAHAB IDDIN BAHABADI YAZDI (D.1573)
Iran, 17th century
Arabic manuscript on paper, 74ff. plus one fly-leaf, each folio with 21ll. of naskh script in black ink with red quotation words, catchwords, signed Abu Turab bin Haji Hassan Nishapuri, dated 10 Sha’ban 1098 AH (21 June 1687), in very fine red and black tooled binding, the text panel 13cm x 6cm and the folio 16cm x 9.5cm.
Estimate: £200-£400
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A POETIC ANTHOLOGY
Iran, 18th century or earlier
Comprising Lama’at of Sheikh Fakhr e-ddin Araqi (1213 – 1289 AD) and Gulshan-e Raz of Sheikh Mahmud Shabestari (1288 – 1340 AD), Persian manuscript on paper, the first part in 36ff. and one added folio and two fly-leaves, the second part with 45ff., each folio with 12ll. of black ink nasta’liq script, signed Mahmud Mohammad Mahmud, marked with the Mahdi Bayani library stamp, in later blind-tooled black calf binding, the text panel 8cm x 5.5cm and the folio 11.5cm x 8cm.
Estimate: £300-£500
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TWO LOOSE FOLIOS FROM SHAHNAMA BY ABDU’L-QASIM FIRDAWSI (D. AH 416/1024 AD)
Iran, 17th – 18th century
Comprising two folios from the Shahnama of Firdawsi, Persian manuscript on paper, the first in black ink in kitabat nasta’liq, 25ll., the chapter heading ‘Bahram Chubin’s ambush of Khosrow Parveez and their battle’ in gold ink with green split palmette scrolls, the text within blue, gold, green, and red rules, catchword, the text panel 21.6cm x 12.5cm and the folio 34.5cm x 22cm; and the latter, from a similar but different manuscript, 20ll., the chapter heading ‘Alexander consulting the elders’ in white ink on gold ground contained within an illuminated cartouche on cobalt blue ground, the text divided vertically by three gold lines ornate with black flower heads and contained within blue, brown, gold, green, red and light blue rules, the text panel 22cm x 13cm and the folio 34cm x 23cm.
Estimate: £800-£1,000
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FOUR LOOSE FOLIOS OF PERSIAN POETRY
Iran, late 17th – 18th century
Persian manuscripts on paper, comprising a praise to the Prophet and Jami’s eulogy to his brother, two folios with 15ll. to the page of black ink nasta’liq script, written in the typical ghazal form, within gold and black rules, mounted, framed and glazed, 36.5cm x 24.5cm including the frame; and two folios from the Sharaf nama by Nezami, with 23ll. to the page of black ink nasta’liq script, written in rhyming couplets, each with a cartouche with gold ink nasta’liq script against a vegetal scroll in gold and blue, within gold and blue rules, mounted, framed and glazed, 42.5cm x 28.5cm including the frame.
Estimate: £500-£700
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* A POETIC ANTHOLOGY
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 17th century
Comprising a selection of poems by three different poets with Nouri, Mirza Hadi and Nazimi as takhallos (nom de plume), Persian manuscript on paper, 114ff., each folio with 14ll. of black nasta’liq script, text panel within blue, red, and gold rules, illuminated chapter headings, the opening page to the section of Mirza Hadi with a full-length trony painted in the style of Reza ‘Abbasi and late Safavid Isfahan school, a young dandy wearing a fur-lined jacket en pelisse, stamped H. Kevorkian collection 700, bound in blind-tooled olive calf, the text panel 13.6cm x 9.8cm and the folio 17.5cm x 9.8cm.
This lot is accompanied by correspondence from George Anavian on behalf of the recently-deceased professor Ehsan Yarshater to Dr. Marilyn Jenkins Madina of the Metropolitan Museum of Art regarding the manuscript, dated 27 September 1983.
* 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.
Estimate: £1,500-£2,500
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A YOUTH IN A GARDEN
Qajar Iran, 19th century
A fragment of a tinted drawing with black ink, pencil, red pigment and gold on paper, the youth portrayed with his fur collar and sumptuous turban, sash, quiver, boots and shamshir sword, all heightened with gold, standing next to a tree with a wine cup in his hand looking at the gathering of birds, a mesmerised servant holding a jug at the bottom of the composition, the back blank, 16cm x 6cm.
The finesse, the style and the composition of this drawing indicate a strong link to the Safavid school of Isfahan, which saw its Golden Age with the exquisite works produced by Reza ‘Abbasi (1565 – 1635). The attention to details, the subtle depiction of human feelings and the use of the stippling effect to create shades and texture on the plumage of the birds and on the cheeks of the youth are perfectly in tune with ‘Abbasi’s tradition. However, the paper composition reveals a later dating. For an interesting comparison between this drawing and an earlier, Safavid one, please check the previous lot.
Estimate: £500-£700
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TEN LOOSE QUR’ANIC FOLIOS
Iran, late 17th – 18th century
Arabic manuscript on gold-sprinkled paper, comprising several inconsequential verses from the Qur’an, six folios with 13ll. to the page of black ink naskh script, with full diacritic marks, gold roundels as verse markers, red ink corrections and marginal notes, the sura heading in white ink against a gold ground, several marginal illuminated roundels and medallions in blue and gold pigments, within gold rules, mounted, framed and glazed, the text panel 12cm x 6.5cm and the folio 15cm x 9cm; and four folios with 14ll. to the page of black ink naskh script, with full diacritic marks, red ink corrections, gold and polychrome roundels as verse markers, the sura heading in gold ink contoured in black ink, within gold rules, mounted, framed and glazed, the text panel 11cm x 6cm.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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TUHFAT US-SA’DIYA: A COMMENTARY ON IBN SINA’S QANUN BY QUTB-UDDIN MAHMUD SHIRAZI (1236 – 1311 AD)
Iran, 18th – 19th century
A commentary on pharmaceuticals and medicine, Arabic manuscript on paper, 246ff. plus two fly-leaves, each folio with 47ll. of black ink naskh script, underscores, marginal comments and keywords in red ink, profuse marginal annotations, the opening folio with polychrome and gold polylobed decoration filled with arabesques, split palmette and floral tendrils, several ownership stamps, bound in later blind-tooled black calf leather, incomplete, the text panel 22cm x 9cm and the folio 29cm x 17cm.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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A CALLIGRAPHIC COMPOSITION IN SHEKASTEH NASTA’LIQ SCRIPT
Iran, 19th century
Persian manuscript on paper, 51ll. to the page of white and yellow ink on black ground of very fine shekasteh nasta’liq, within gold rules, pasted onto later cardboard in blue, pink and gold colours, mounted, framed and glazed, 29.2cm x 19.1cm including the frame.
Estimate: £150-£180
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IMAM SAJJAD’S MUNAJAT AT’TAIBIN (PRAYERS OF REPENTERS)
Iran, dated 1290 AH (1873)
The fifteen prayers manuscript in Arabic on paper, 20ff. plus two fly-leaves, each folio with 12ll. of black ink naskh script, the opening folio with an elaborate polychrome and gilt illumination, the text within black, gold, red, and green rules, the chapter headings in illuminated cartouches, catchwords, signed Gholam Ali bin Mohammad Ibrahim, known as Saghar, commissioned by Mirza Mohammad Naseer, in soft blind-tooled red morocco leather binding within a dark blue border, the text panel 27cm x 6.7cm and the folio 7.4cm x 12cm.
Estimate: £400-£600
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* A ZAD AL-MA’AD (PROVISIONS OF THE HEREAFTER) BY MOHAMMAD BAQIR MAJLESI (d. 1695 AD)
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 19th century
Arabic and Persian manuscript on paper, 237ff., plus three fly-leaves, each folio predominantly with 26ll., of elegant black naskh and red nasta’liq translations, within red and gold and blue rules, with illuminated opening page and chapter headings, catchwords, the colophon signed Mirza Muhammad al Musawi al Husayini al Alawi, dated Tuesday 5th Shawwal 1253 AH (1837), the lacquered binding of finely painted floral arrangements within narrow floral and key-patterned borders, the end-pages each painted with a multi-headed narcissi and other flowers against a red ground, joined by the leather spine, the text panel 18.7cm x 10cm and the folio 24.4cm x 15cm.
* 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.
Estimate: £2,000-£3,000
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AN EKHTIYARAT AL ALA’IYA BY FAKHR-EDDIN MUHAMMAD BIN UMAR RAZI (1150-1210 AD)
Iran, late 15th – 16th century
A book on astrology, Persian manuscript on paper, 68ff., plus three fly-leaves, each folio with 13ll. of black ink nasta’liq script, marked with Mahdi Bayani library stamp, in later black morocco binding, the text panel 11cm x 4.8cm and the folio 15.2cm x 9.5cm.
Provenance: Christie’s London, 26 October 2007, lot 400.
Estimate: £600-£800
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TWO QUR’ANIC JUZ’
Possibly Iran, late 19th century
Arabic manuscripts on stained paper, 9ff. and 10ff., 12ll. and 9ll. to the page of black ink naskh script, the opening folios with polychrome and gold decorations with floral tendrils, arabesques and split palmettes, verse markers as polychrome and gold roundels and rosettes, with marginal annotations, catchwords and illuminations, sura headings in blue ink on gold cartouches with interspersed geometric and floral designs, within red, blue and gold rules, the text panel circa 20.5cm x 12cm and the folio 27.5cm x 18cm.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A GROUP OF SEVEN LITHOGRAPHED BOOKS
Iran, 20th century
The printed volumes comprising of an ‘Ajayib al Makhluqat’, original calligraphy by Nasr ullah Tafreshi, 1264 AH (1848); ‘Anis ul A’lam fi Nusrat ul Islam’, print dated 1319 AH (1901), the original calligraphy by Fakhr ul Islam; A History of Europe 1794-1847 translated by Ahmad bin Yusuf, known as Moshir Hozur, dated 1317 AH (1899); a Kalilah wa Dimnah or Anwar I Suhaili by Hussain Wa’iz Kashefi, original calligraphy by Muhammad Ibrahim (Agha Khalaf 1270 AH)), printed in Berlin 1301 AH (1884); Kitab Qawanin ul Usul on Jurisprudence by Mirza Abolqassem Qumi (d. 1231 AH), printed 1324 AH (1907); a Nahj ul Balaqa dated 1325 AH (1908); and a Tarikh I Manteqi (history of Iran from Adam to the Prophet) by calligrapher Malik ul Khattatin, dated 1332 AH (1914).
Estimate: £200-£400
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A GROUP OF SEVEN MANUSCRIPTS
Iran, late 19th – early 20th century
Comprising of a ‘Zad al Ma’ad’ prayer book, by the calligrapher Mohammad Baqer bin Mohammad Taqi; a small manuscript on grammar and rules of writing and pronouncing Arabic/religious texts, dated 1264 AH (1848) (original text dated 1067 AH); a Sharh ul Ma’alem fi Osul ul Fiqh’ on Jurisprudence, signed Ahmad bin Muhammad Baqer, dated 1247 AH (1831); an incomplete manuscript in Arabic with Persian translations and marginal notes of ‘Sahifa Sajjadiya’ prayers of the fourth Imam of Shias; and a prayer book ‘Do’a I’tisam’ of Khaja Nasir Tousi; an Arabic manuscript on grammar with Persian and Arabic marginal notes, signed Ali Murad bin Hussain bin Sabz Ali bin Hussain al-Sayyar Saqi, in the village of Kakrood, dated 1314 AH (1896); and a Sharh I Shafia.
Estimate: £300-£500
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* TWO IRANIAN ALMANACS AND CALENDARS
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 19th century
Arabic and Persian manuscripts on thin blue and cream papers, each with a multitude of charts and numbers, the blue paper one dated 1289-1290 AH (1872-1873), the text a combination of naskh script in the charts in red, blue and black ink and shekasteh nasta’liq in black ink at the top and sides against gold clouds ground, 17ll. to the page, within gold and black rulings, the folio 21cm x 13cm; the cream paper one dated 1280 AH (1863), similar to the previous one, the text in red, black and blue ink in free-flowing nasta’liq, the folio 25cm x 16.5cm.
* 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.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A BOOK ON ASTROLABES
Iran, dated 1273 AH (1856)
Persian manuscript on paper, 59ff., each folio with 12ll. of black shekasteh nasta’liq with chapter headings and illustrations in red, signed Sheikh ‘Ali, marked with the library stamp of Minasian Isfahan 1935, inscribed from Joseph Shirvanian 1955, the text panel 8.5cm x 3.6cm and the folio 10.7cm x 8cm.
Estimate: £800-£1,000
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EIGHT FRAGMENTS OF SAFAVID CUERDA SECA POTTERY TILES
Isfahan, Iran, 17th century
Each of uneven rectangular form, painted in green, cobalt blue, yellow, turquoise, brown and black, the decoration consisting of vegetal tendrils with fragments of rosettes, arabesque medallions, lotus flowers, rosettes and split palmettes, the largest 13cm x 22cm.
Provenance: UK private collection since early 1970s.
Estimate: £2,000-£3,000
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* A SAFAVID CUERDA SECA POTTERY TILE
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 17th century
Of square form, painted in cobalt blue, green, turquoise, brown over a bright yellow ground, the decoration consisting of Chinese clouds, two geese and a leafy tuft with stylised flowers, 22.7cm x 23cm.
* 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.
Estimate: £2,000-£3,000
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* TWO FIGURAL KUBACHI POTTERY TILES
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 17th century
Each of octagonal form, underglaze painted in black, blue and green with vibrant red and yellow slips on a white ground, the decoration consisting of a female youth dressed in traditional outfit playing the tambourine amidst lush floral motifs, and of a male youth holding a jar with similar background motifs, the reverse marked with old inventory numbers, 18.5cm x 18.5cm.
The name Kubachi comes from a remote Daghestani village where many examples of tiles and wares similar to these two were found. Such pottery items were used to decorate villagers’ houses towards the end of the nineteenth century. The pictorial style and design of the composition of our tiles are very similar to a dish in the Al Sabah Collection in Kuwait. The colours and the form of the flowers might seem indebted to the Iznik pottery tradition to a certain extent, but the figures and their outfits follow contemporary conventions in Persian manuscript painting (Oliver Watson, Ceramics from Islamic Lands, 2004, p. 460).
* 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.
Estimate: £3,000-£5,000
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TWO SAFAVID CUERDA SECA POTTERY TILES
Isfahan, Iran, 17th century
Each of square form, painted in green, cobalt blue, yellow, turquoise and black, the decoration consisting of scrolling leafy vegetal tendrils with fragments of rosettes and lotus flowers, the largest 20cm x 22cm.
Provenance: UK private collection since early 1970s.
Estimate: £2,600-£2,800
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* A QAJAR MOULDED POTTERY TILE WITH FALCONER
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 19th century
Of rectangular shape, painted in manganese purple, turquoise and black on cobalt blue ground, the decoration consisting of a falconer on horseback followed by an assistant, stylised buildings and tufts of grass with flowers in the background, the upper band decorated with a scrolling vegetal tendril, 25.5cm x 17cm.
* 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.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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A QAJAR MOULDED POTTERY TILE WITH LEOPARDS
Iran, 19th century
Of rectangular shape, painted in cobalt blue, manganese purple, turquoise, pink and black, the decoration consisting of three leopards running wild in a natural setting with hills and floral bushes in the background, 29cm x 33.5cm.
Estimate: £1,400-£1,600
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A QAJAR MOULDED POTTERY TILE
Iran, late 19th – early 20th century
Of rectangular shape, painted in blue, black and white, decorated with scrolling floral tendrils and split palmettes, 38cm x 18.5cm.
Estimate: £200-£300
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A QAJAR MOULDED POTTERY TILE WITH RIDER AND DRAGON
Iran, late 19th – early 20th century
Of rectangular shape, painted in pink, green, yellow and black on a cobalt blue ground, the decoration in the centre consisting of a rider on horseback being attacked by a dragon crawling up a tree, floral bloom in the background, the upper band against white and depicting two facing birds and floral tendrils, 34.5cm x 25cm.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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A LATE SAFAVID / EARLY QAJAR CUERDA SECA POTTERY TILE
Iran, 18th century
Of square form, painted in cobalt blue, yellow, turquoise, green and brown, the decoration against a yellow ground consisting of interlocking tendrils, stylised leaves and an arabesque medallion in the centre, four quarters of rosettes in the corners, mounted and framed, 26.5cm x 26.8cm including the frame.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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A SAFAVID COPPER BOWL
Iran, late 17th – early 18th century
Of compressed bulbous shape, with flared neck and everted rim, the neck engraved with calligraphic cartouches against a cross-hatched ground, the body with interlocking spirals of vegetal tendrils with lush foliage and split palmettes, 19.5cm diam. and 16cm high.
Estimate: £600-£800
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* A SAFAVID TINNED COPPER BOWL
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 17th century
Of hemispherical form, resting on a splayed circular foot, with slightly everted rim, the body engraved with a continuous band of calligraphy below the rim, a vine scroll and a fringe of arabesque designs below the calligraphic band, 21.5cm diam. and 8.5cm high.
* 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.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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* TWO SMALL TINNED COPPER BOWLS
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 17th – 18th century
Each of compressed globular form with flared neck and everted rim, the incised decoration consisting of concentric bands of interlocking split palmette tendrils, arabesques and vegetal patterns on the body and calligraphic cartouches on the neck, with inventory stickers from Yacob’s Gallery ‘1394A’ and ‘1395A’ , the largest 10.5cm diam.
* 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.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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* A TINNED COPPER BOWL
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, mid to late 18th century
Of compressed bulbous shape, with flared neck and everted rim, the neck engraved with a continuous calligraphic band against a scrolling tendril on a hatched ground, the body with floral roundels, scrolls, palmettes and arabesque medallions, 21cm diam. and 15cm high.
* 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.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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A SAFAVID BLUE AND WHITE POTTERY WORK BOX
Iran, 17th – 18th century
Of rectangular form, the flat sides resting on stepped feet, the interior characterised by a blue-whitish glaze and organised in three rectangular compartments, the largest central compartment open giving access into the body, the exterior painted in blue, the decoration of the larger sides consisting of three polylobed arches flanked by tall pierced standards, on the background a dense floral and vegetal design with birds, interlocking split palmette tendrils framing the composition, the smaller sides decorated with trees bearing ripe fruits and framed by a triangular lozenge band, 16cm x 24.7cm.
For a similar example, please see Christie’s London, 25 April 1997, lot 343.
Estimate: £1,400-£1,600
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A BLUE-GLAZED LUSTRE POTTERY WATER JUG
Iran, 17 – 18th century
Of pyriform shape, resting on a circular short foot, rising to a tapering neck, curved handle on the side, the top of compressed hemispherical shape with oval knob in the centre, the exterior decorated with blue glaze and floral and geometric lustre designs, the interior similar to lot 160, 29cm high.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A SAFAVID COPPER-LUSTRE POTTERY VASE
Iran, 17th century
Of compressed globular shape, on straight circular foot, the body decorated with lush floral bloom and vegetal motif, the metal rim added later and decorated with geometric and vegetal designs, 13cm high.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A QAJAR COPPER-LUSTRE POTTERY VASE
Iran, 19th century
Of compressed globular shape, squared on the sides, on short circular foot, the body decorated with roundels alternated by floral bouquets, vegetal band on the neck, the plain metal rim possibly added later, 13cm high.
Estimate: £200-£400
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A GREEN-GLAZED POTTERY WATER JUG
Iran, 18th Century
Of pyriform shape, resting on a circular stepped foot, rising to a tapering neck, curved handle on the side, the top of hemispherical shape with a flower in the centred several lateral openings, the exterior decorated with green glaze, the base with a hole to fill up the interior with water, 36cm high.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A LATE QAJAR POTTERY DISH
Iran, late 19th – early 20th century
Of circular form, on straight foot, the rim slightly splayed, painted in cobalt blue, manganese purple, green and pink, the decoration consisting of a central Iznik-style floral bloom with tulips, carnations and stylised prunus branches, the middle band with blue and purple buds, and the band below the rim with blue and pink rosettes, the exterior plain, 29.7cm diam.
Estimate: £100-£200
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A QAJAR POLYCHROME POTTERY INKWELL
Iran, 19th century
Of rectangular shape, the white ceramic object designed in two sections, the trio of removable inkwells in a row decorated with birds and flowers in polychromes, the pen-rest section’s vertical facade with three floral festoons and stepped sides, the green Greek keys framing the lower part, the sides and back with a total of four portrait ovals interspersed with floral scrolls bearing birds, 20cm x 11cm x 5cm.
This small object exemplifies the transition from traditional and minimalist settings to a more Western one: it is now a stationery object belonging to a desk, indicating the presence of Western-style furniture as opposed to the traditional scribe’s mobile tools of the trade, resting on his knees on the floor. The European-inspired naive decoration is the case in point in the way Qajar art bridges East and West and the aspirations of a new middle class.
Estimate: £300-£400
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A QAJAR POTTERY ROSEWATER SPRINKLER
Iran, 19th century
Of compressed globular shape on short circular foot, with long tapering neck, painted in manganese purple, cobalt blue, turquoise, brown and black, the decoration consisting of floral bouquets and a pair of herons against a blue ground, the neck with a pair of stylised cypresses in manganese purple and brown against a white slip ground, 23cm high.
Estimate: £200-£300
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* THREE LATE QAJAR POTTERY DISHES
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, late 19th – early 20th century
Each of circular shape resting on a short straight foot, painted in cobalt blue, green, brown and manganese purple, the similar decoration consisting of stylised partridges flanked by leafy vegetal tendrils in the cavetto and a vegetal bloom in the centre, the largest 23cm diam.
* 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.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A QAJAR POTTERY VASE
Iran, late 19th – early 20th century
Of bulbous shape, on plain base, with everted rim, painted in cobalt blue, manganese purple, green and black on white ground, the decoration consisting of four polylobed medallions with rosettes and lush vegetal tendrils, floral festoons on the base and neck, 25.2cm high.
Estimate: £300-£500
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AN IMPRESSIVE ARCHITECTURAL NICHE CLAD IN UNDERGLAZE-PAINTED POLYCHROME POTTERY TILES
Iran, third quarter 20th century
Of rectangular shape, with central concave mihrab-shaped niche with ogival arch, the interior clad with small cut tiles fitting the intricate pattern of the semi-vault, decorated with a triumph of dense interspersed arabesques, split palmettes, stylised lotus flowers and lush tendrils, the exterior decorated with a continuous white calligraphic band contoured in black against turquoise scrolling tendrils and cobalt blue ground, framing the niche with a ghazal (poem) about the Beloved, the back plain, 135.5cm x 113cm.
Estimate: £3,000-£5,000
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* A QAJAR TURQUOISE-INSET GOLD QALYAN CUP
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 19th century
Of typical flaring form, with everted rim, the exterior fully encrusted with circular turquoise stones of different sizes, the rim and base with subtle band of coloured faceted stones, possibly spinels, on the interior the gold walls chased in high relief by the exterior setting, the flat gold base added later, 6cm high and 8cm diam.
Zarfs and qalyan cups identical to this are to be found in the Persian Crown Jewels collection (V. B. Meen and A. D. Tushingham, Crown Jewels of Iran, 1968, p.99). Turquoises have always been common and favoured stones in Iran, but especially during the Qajar period, craftsmen started using them more and more to encrust and embellish objects used at court. The quality of the materials and the precision of the design of this cup strongly suggest a royal commission. A similar turquoise-inset gold zarf cup successfully sold at Christie’s London, 16 October 2001, lot 309.
* 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.
Estimate: £1,500-£2,500
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* A QAJAR GOLD ENAMELLED QALYAN CUP
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Possibly Shiraz, Iran, 19th century
Of typical flaring form, the exterior finely decorated with gold bands chased in high relief with floral tendrils alternated with polychrome enamelled bands with flower heads and birds, green enamel on the rim and another polychrome floral band on the base, the interior with green enamel sprinkled in white, 5.4cm high.
* 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.
Estimate: £1,500-£2,500
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* A QAJAR GEMSET ENAMELLED GOLD BROOCH
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 19th century
Of circular shape, the front with a selection of colourless and coloured faceted raised gemstones, rubies and emeralds, foiled in closed-back gold settings, edged with seed pearls, cobalt blue painted enamel surrounding the stones setting, the reverse with polychrome enamels in pink, blue and green shades depicting lush flower heads and birds with hoop in the centre, 4.5cm diam.
* 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.
Estimate: £2,000-£3,000
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* A PINK AND BLUE ENAMELLED GOLD CUP
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Caucasus or Russia, dated 1850
Of traditional cylindrical shape, on flat base inscribed in Old Slavonic script and with central coat of arms, with slightly splayed rim marked with a French import hallmark (owl), the body with painted light blue, pink, white, green and black enamels, the decoration on the exterior consisting of a register of diamond-shaped cartouches filled with pink carnations and stylised light blue irises within floral borders, next to them triangular cartouches with same flowers from a different angle within blue borders, the top with a festoon and half roundels of flower heads repeating same pattern below, 7.5cm high and 7cm diam, 152gr. This cup is accompanied by the Assay Office London X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy Certificate testifying that the inscription on the base measures 22 carat and all other parts above 23 carat.
Inscription: ‘This cup was granted by His Imperial Majesty the heir to the throne (tsesarevitch) Alexander Nikolaevitch, October 1850′.
Alexander Nikolaevitch (or Nikolayevich) Romanov, the person mentioned in the Old Slavonic inscription on the base of our cup, was Tsar Nicholas I’s heir to the throne. He succeeded to the throne upon his father’s death in 1855, crowned as Tsar Alexander II, and he is remembered in Russia to this day as a great reformer and the promoter of the serfs’ emancipation in 1861. The young Alexander received a liberal education and differently from his predecessors, he was taken on a six-month tour of Russia in 1837, visiting 20 provinces in the country. His travels continued in the years to come, when he visited prominent Western European countries, Siberia, and Central Asian countries sharing borders with Russia (Edvard Radzinsky, Alexander II: the Last Great Tsar, 2005, pp. 63-69 and 190-200). Particularly meaningful are the records that report Alexander travelling to Georgia, Armenia and Baku in the months of September and October 1850, just before the breakout of the Crimean war in 1853. In Georgia, he met with the Qajar prince Bahman Mirza (1810 – 1884), the grandson of Fath ‘Ali Shah, vali of Azerbaijan and governor of Tabriz. He then went to Armenia, where in Yerevan he was greeted by Azis Khan, the local Qajar governor (Alexander Polovtsov, The Russian Biographical Dictionary, volume 1, Aaron – Alexander II, 1896, pp. 447-448). It is likely to believe that this cup was commissioned during one of these travels and that it may have been used as a diplomatic gift.
The coat of arms in the centre of the base showcases per fess dancetty of three points argent and gules with supporters two lion rampants regardant, below a counts coronet. The central shield is reminiscent of the Franconian Rake, an heraldic ordinary with a simple zig-zag line of partition that divides the escutcheon or shield into red and silver fields. This simple and regionally widespread symbol was first officially recognised as the Franconian coat of arms in 1804, when Prince Elector Maximilian IV Joseph incorporated it into the Bavarian coat of arms.
A special acknowledgement goes to Victoria Klyueva for her prompt assistance with the translation of the Old Slavonic inscription and biographical insights for this note.
* 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.
Estimate: £2,000-£3,000
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* A FINE QAJAR ENAMELLED CARNELIAN-SET GOLD SEAL
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 18th – 19th century
Of typical rectangular shape, the gold base with polychrome-painted enamels depicting rosettes and other flower heads, a drop-shaped red stone set amidst floral bloom, a stylised gold palmette as knob, the carnelian incised in fine nasta’liq script on a floral ground, the inscription in the centre ‘Blein / Blaine’ (?), possibly a commission from a Western visitor, 2.5cm x 3cm the size of the carnelian.
Inscription: The creator of every high and low is You, All is nothing and all there is is You.
* 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.
Estimate: £4,000-£6,000
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* A PAIR OF QAJAR ENAMELLED EARRINGS
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 19th century
Each with a hemispherical bell-shaped upper section with an outer fringe of pearl-like white beads, from the centre of the domed element a drop-shaped pendant with more hanging beads, the exterior painted in green, pink and blue enamels with flower heads and vegetal tendrils, the hoop encrusted with a red bead, 7cm high.
* 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.
Estimate: £1,500-£2,500
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* A PAIR OF QAJAR ENAMELLED GOLD EARRINGS
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 19th century
Made of two domed components, one smaller than the other, each with a fringe of small gold tassels incised with leaf design, the blue, pink and white enamelled decoration consisting of flower heads and petals in diamond-shaped medallions, the interior in turquoise-sprinkled enamel, 8.5cm high.
* 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.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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* A QAJAR SILVER ENAMELLED WATER PIPE (QALYAN)
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 19th century
Of traditional ovoid form, the spout and rim with floral collars, the central section of the body decorated with six large oval medallions of chased silver vegetal tendrils, birds and flower heads on a ground of cobalt blue enamel, the upper and lower parts of the body with six polychrome-painted enamel cartouches with crenellated gilt borders depicting youths and members of the royal entourage, interspersed with silver-chased birds and floral motifs on cobalt blue enamelled ground, at the bottom two bands of floral garlands and gilt scrollwork, approximately 22cm high.
* 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.
Estimate: £1,200-£1,600
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A BLUE ENAMELLED SILVER-GILT ROYAL BOX
PROPERTY OF A NOBLE PRIVATE COLLECTOR
Paris, France and Cairo, Egypt, dated 1939
Of deep circular form, the body and lid silver-gilt, the domed lid decorated in guilloche beneath a blue enamel, a band of lozenges to the border, the centre with applied silver-gilt ‘F M’ monogram surmounted by a Pahlavi crown surrounded by three five-pointed stars, maker’s stamp Ah. Naguib Bey Le Caire – Paris to base, engraved inscription on the interior of lid in ductus ornamentalis, 12cm diam. and 316gr.
Provenance: Private noble family since at least the early 1980s.
Inscription: Qasr Abedin Al Amer 24 Muharram 1358 – ‘The glorious Abedin Palace 15th March 1939’.
This fine box was commissioned to commemorate the royal wedding of Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, and Princess Fawzia, sister of King Farouk of Egypt. The wedding took place at the Abedin Palace in Cairo on 16th March 1939 and another ceremony was hosted at the Golestan Palace in Tehran on 25th April 1939. Princess Fawzia became an Iranian Princess (shahdokht) and national on 16th March. Several of these boxes had been commissioned to the fine Egyptian jeweller Naguib Bey from the royal family to be gifted to royals, nobles and important diplomats attending the wedding. For identical boxes sold at auction before, please see Bonhams London, 25 October 2007, lot 236 and 24 April 2018, lot 254.
Estimate: £2,000-£3,000
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A QAJAR GOLD-DAMASCENED STEEL EWER
Iran, 19th century
Of globular form, resting on a splayed circular foot and rising to a tall flared neck, the sinuous handle terminating in a stylised dragon-shaped head, the body, spout and neck engraved with polylobed medallions filled with floral and vegetal motifs, their contours highlighted with gold inlay, 25.8cm high.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A PAIR OF QAJAR REPOUSSÉ SILVER VASES
Possibly Shiraz, Iran, 19th century
Each of pyriform shape, rising from a flat circular foot to a flared neck with ridged mouth, the repoussé decoration consisting of several figural cartouches interlocked by leafy vegetal tendrils and flower heads, 29cm high.
The figural decoration in the cartouches on the body illustrates several scenes reminiscent of Persia’s glorious past, very much in line with the artistic tradition from Shiraz and the Fars region. As an example, one cartouche replicates the stone carving of the investiture of Ardashir I at Naqsh-e Rostam, one stylises possibly the relief of the Great Victory of Shapour I, another illustrates the typical ‘Parthian shot’ composition on horseback. The smaller cartouches on the neck and base are instead decorated with dancing and banqueting scenes, perfectly in tune with an imperial taste reminiscing Achaemenid times.
Estimate: £1,400-£1,600
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A LATE QAJAR SILVER VASE
Iran, late 19th century
Of oval urn-like shape possibly inspired by Western models, with flared neck and wide mouth, resting on four zoomorphic feet designed as bird’s feet on the top and as lion’s paws on the bottom, two stylised sinuous handles attached on the body and rim, the repoussé decoration on the body consisting of polylobed medallions incised with full vegetal bloom alternated with floral tendrils and birds, stamped 84 and marked in Persian, weight 1221 gr. and 28.4cm high.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A MISCELLANEOUS SELECTION OF IRANIAN SILVERWARE
Isfahan, Iran, mid 20th century
Comprising two polylobed drinking cups, on a splayed foot, with incised floral decoration on the base, neck and rim, stamped 84 Abbas Juzdani in Persian, each 11.5cm high; a pair of tongs with hand finials and incised stylised floral decoration, stamped 84 Kamal Barami in Persian, 15.4cm long; a circular ashtray with three cigarette rests, the body decorated with dense floral tendrils and birds, stamped 84 Fadavi Isfahan in Persian, 12.5cm diam.; and an urn-shaped vase, two dragon-shaped handles on the sides, the engraved body decorated with roundels filled with peacocks, herons, sparrows and rams alternated with polylobed cartouches with arabesques, stylised flower heads, vegetal tendrils and rosettes, engraved around the neck with a dedicatory inscription in Eastern Armenian to the present owner’s grandfather and the date 1st May 1949, 25cm high.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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A LATE QAJAR SILVER BRUSH AND GLASS BOTTLE
Iran, late 19th – early 20th century
Comprising a brush with silver frame and handle, the engraved decoration consisting of a polylobed cartouche with a duck and a mosque-like building in the centre framed by a triumph of interlocking vegetal tendrils, stylised split palmettes, knotwork and lotus flowers, 22cm long; and a glass bottle mounted on a silver case, engraved with ducks, pheasants, buildings and dense floral decoration with lotus flowers and rosettes, stamped 84 and with maker’s mark Amal Hafiya (?), 20cm high.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A SILVER CIGAR CASE
Isfahan, Iran, late 19th – early 20th century
Of rectangular shape, the lid decorated in high relief with a central polylobed medallion filled with arabesque patterns and rosettes, stylised lotus flowers emerging from the medallion, the composition framed by a band of rosettes, the sides engraved with sinusoidal vegetal tendrils, stamped 84 and with an inventory sticker at the bottom confirming the carats and origin, 2.6cm x 13.5cm.
Estimate: £300-£500
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FOUR SILVER DESSERT DISHES
Iran, early 20th century
Of circular form with crenellated rim, resting on three highly ornate feet, engraved in an elaborate design of interlocking tendrils and stylised lotus flowers, pairs of birds flanking lush lotus flowers below the rim and floral bloom in the centre, stamped 900, 18.2cm diam.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A QASHQAI LEATHER CRADLE/HAMMOCK
Shiraz, Qashqai tribal confederacy, Fars province, Iran,19th century
Of rectangular form, the leather structure worked in appliqué leather and metallic threads with palmettes reaching four leather loops on either end, the centre lined with a rectangular panel of Kashan silk velvet ikat, the poles intricately worked in khatamkari with a fine grid work of six-pointed stars inlaid with bone, copper and wood, probably made for a tribal chief’s nursery tent, poles 98cm long, leather structure, including loops 135cm x 83cm.
Estimate: £600-£800
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AN IKAT HANGING
Possibly Bukhara, Central Asia, late 19th – early 20th century
The five full panels of hand-woven single silk ikat each woven in green, red, yellow, and madder with a repeating stylised floral stem against an ivory ground, the symmetrical design reaching the horizontal centre in chevrons, the lengths joined together by machine, the joints concealing the indigo selvedges, width of each panel 28cm including selvedges, 300cm x 128cm.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A QAJAR LACQUER PAPIER MÂCHÉ MIRROR CASE
Iran, 19th century
Of hexagonal form, the front and back covers painted in browns, yellows, and greens with the typical ‘rose and nightingale’ motif (gol-o-bolbol) and butterflies, with delicate hinges and hook closure, the inner case with a pseudo-Mughal scene of a courting couple in an interior, possibly suggesting a commission for the Indian market, the glass plate original, 19cm x 15.5cm.
Estimate: £800-£1,000
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AN EMBROIDERED HANGING
Isfahan, Iran, circa 1880
The trousseau-grade ( bibi-baaf ) work of rectangular form, the black silk velvet ground finely chain-stitched in coloured silks with rows of small butis in alternating directions, the border with crescent-shaped floral arches within two narrow borders of geometrically framed flowerheads, lined with off-white cotton, 220cm x 174cm.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A PANEL OF CUT SILK VELVET
Yazd, Iran, mid-19th century
Woven in indigo, madder, and burnt orange against a cream ground with stylised floral starbursts and scrolling foliage in narrow rectangles, the panel encompassing three pattern repeats, professionally backed and mounted on stretcher, 99cm x 53.5cm.
Provenance: acquired from Raymond Benardout Gallery in 1999 by the present owner.
Estimate: £1,400-£1,600
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A SMALL ENAMELLED BOX
Qajar Iran, second half 19th century
Of rectangular shape, the box hinged and banded in brass, with a gently domed lid in polychromes, painted with a couple holding hands observed by a companion, the group seated in a garden, the scene framed by a yellow floral border, the base and sides with pinks outlined in black against a turquoise blue ground, 9cm x 6cm x 2.5cm.
Estimate: £400-£600
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TWO QAJAR LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ PEN CASES (QALAMDAN)
Iran, late 19th century
Each with rounded ends and sliding tray, the top and sides of one painted with horizontal composition of birds amongst flowers, polychrome-painted heightened with gold against translucent black ground, the internal tray and the underside with gold trellis and floral scrollwork on a black ground, 22.8cm long; and another similar one, the top and sides with scenes from the courtly life interspersed with the typical gul-o-bulbul motif, the internal tray and the underside with gold rules on a black ground, 22.5cm long.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A BUCZACZ MAKATA (BUCHACH ‘TAPESTRY’)
Buczacz, present-day Ukraine, 19th century
The oblong panel of woven silk with metal threads in typical Persianate-style with flower-filled stripes and elegant floral borders in 17th-century manner, Buczacz label with the coat of arms of the city, machine-stitched to the verso, 147cm x 170cm.
Estimate: £500-£700
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* AN AMIRI TERMEH SHAWL CLOTH
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Kirman, Iran, 19th century
The uncut oblong panel of ivory wool ground twill-tapestry-woven in coloured wools and green selvedges with repeating rows of butis in alternating directions, one end embroidered in yellow silk thread with a ‘commission cartouche’ denoting an ‘excellent and distinguished design’, the shawl typically woven in six sections, invisibly-mended together, 283cm x 120cm.
* 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.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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A LARGE PAINTING ON GLASS OF HUSSEIN LEADING ABBAS IN THE FIELD OF KARBALA
Iran, early Pahlavi era, 20th century
Painted behind glass in bright polychromes and gold, in typical naive style with the saints riding into battle on the day of Ashura, the bearded Hussein dressed in mail on his steed Zul-Janah, wielding his sword and leading his half-brother Abbas, his flag-bearer, set against the green field of the army’s encampment, framed in typical repoussé gilt metal, 52cm x 74cm including frame.
Provenance: purchased by the present private owner in an antique shop in Tehran in 1973 whilst the owner was living and working there.
This type of naive devotional painting would commonly grace the walls of modest neighbourhood shrines, often associated with a source of clean and free drinking water provided by a charitable believer, so the faithful would ponder on the sacrifice of Karbala martyrs who perished thirsty.
Estimate: £200-£300
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A LARGE TINNED COPPER BASIN
Qajar Iran, 19th century
Of rounded form, on flat base, with slightly everted rim, the body engraved with several horizontal decorative bands filled with nasta’liq calligraphy against a scrolling floral ground, interlocking vegetal tendrils and rosettes, and cusped medallions filled with arabesques and vegetal motifs, 38cm diam.
Estimate: £600-£800
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* A QAJAR LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ MIRROR CASE
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 19th century
Of octagonal form, with hinged flap, the polychrome-painted decoration heightened with gold, depicting on the front the biblical scene of the sacrifice of Isaac, and on the flap’s interior and back an almost identical gul-o-bulbul motif amidst hyacinths, daffodils, carnations and butterflies against translucent dark brown ground, two borders of gold floral and vegetal tendrils on black and red ground framing the composition, 24cm x 19.5cm.
Biblical scenes as main decorative motives on Iranian artworks are not completely uncommon. Since the integration of the Armenian community in Isfahan during the Safavid period, Christian iconography started making a stronger appearance on local buildings, manuscripts and both lavish and everyday commodities. This decorative trend seems to increase even further in the Qajar period, when contacts between Iran and the West intensify and Western religious works such as biblical prints and illuminated Bibles become more widely available. A similar mirror case with the Virgin and Child and the Adoration of the Magi as the main front image was part of the Saeed Motamed collection and successfully sold at Christie’s South Kensington, 7 October 2013, lot 168.
* 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.
Estimate: £2,500-£3,500
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* A QAJAR LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ PEN CASE (QALAMDAN)
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, inscribed with Ya Shah Najaf and dated 1267 AH (1851)
With rounded ends and sliding tray, the top painted with three horizontal compositions with virgins surrounded by winged angels and putti, in the background of the central cartouche a Christian basilica, the sides with polylobed cartouches with hunting scenes and villagers at work alternating portrait medallions of youths, polychrome-painted heightened with gold against translucent ground, the internal tray and the underside with gold trellis and lotus flower scroll on red ground, 23cm long.
* 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.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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* A QAJAR LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ PEN CASE (QALAMDAN)
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 19th century
With rounded ends and sliding tray, the top and sides painted with horizontal composition of birds on branches amidst wild berries with lush leaves, polychrome-painted heightened with gold against translucent clear ground, the internal tray and the underside with gold trellis and lotus flower scroll on red ground, 23.5cm long.
* 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.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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* A LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ PEN CASE (QALAMDAN)
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, inscribed Ya Sadiq Al-Wa’d (for Muhammad Sadiq) and dated 1175 AH (1761)
With rounded ends and sliding tray, the top and sides painted with horizontal composition of polylobed cartouches telling the story of two lovers, from the courtship and pining to the wedding scene, interspersed with oval portrait medallions with youths, polychrome-painted heightened with gold against translucent ground, the internal tray and the underside with gold floral spray and vegetal tendrils on red ground, 23.5cm long.
For a similar qalamdan inscribed by the same artist, please see Christie’s South Kensington, 11 April 2014, lot 151.
* 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.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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* A QAJAR LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ PEN CASE (QALAMDAN)
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Iran, 19th century
With rounded ends and sliding tray, the top painted with vertical composition of a courtly lady holding a parasol and accompanied by a peacock, set against a natural background with castle walls behind her, the sides with polylobed cartouches with hunting scenes and villagers at work alternating with oval portrait medallions, polychrome-painted heightened with gold against translucent ground, the internal tray and the underside with gold rules on black ground, 23cm long.
* 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.
Estimate: £1,500-£2,000
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A POETIC ANTHOLOGY
India, late 18th – early 19th century
Persian manuscript on paper, 9ff., 20ll. to the page of black ink free-flowing naskh script, the opening folio with red and blue polylobed design filled with vegetal tendrils and arabesques, the text divided in parallel couplets rhyming the last word, the titles to different compositions in red ink in rectangular cartouches, within thin red rules, with several ownerships stamps, signed by Ahmad Nazeef Al-Qazi, stamped with his own library stamp dated 1215 AH (1800), the text panel 15.5cm x 9cm and the folio 22.8cm x 14.8cm.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A KASHMIRI QUR’AN
Kashmir, North India, 19th century
Arabic manuscript on paper, in black ink naskh script, 654ff., plus four fly-leaves, each folio with 11ll., the opening bifolio illuminated fully, with eight additional bifolios throughout the volume with illuminated margins, red markings, aya markings in gold circles, within black and gold rules, with post-recitation prayers on the final folio, catchwords, reduced and rebound in later calf binding, the text panel 19.7cm x 10cm and the folio 26.2cm x 15.5cm.
Estimate: £3,000-£5,000
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A TREATY ON ASTROLABES AND COMPASSES
India, dated 1238 AH (1822)
Arabic and Persian manuscript on paper, 18ff. plus seven fly-leaves, 17ll. to the page of black ink free-flowing naskh script, the borders with 15 scientific drawings and profuse annotations, with old ink stamps of Multan’s library, in later plain brown leather binding, the text panel 17.5cm x 8cm and the folio 26.5cm x 15cm.
Estimate: £3,000-£5,000
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A LARGE SECTION OF THE SHAHNAMA BY ABU’L-QASIM FIRDAWSI (D. AH 416/1024 AD)
India, late 17th – early 18th century
Persian manuscript on paper, from the story of Darab to the story of Khosrow, in nasta’liq kitabat script, 208ff., plus six fly-leaves and printed end-papers, each folio with 25ll., poetic text arranged in four columns, chapter headings in red ink, within black, gold, and red rulings, 11 illuminated miniatures illustrating the stories narrated in the text, library stamp Mohammad Sarfraz Khan Abbasi 1173 AH (1759), the Indian 20th century binding includes fine pink paper between folios, transparent paper facing the illustrations, the spine marked ‘Illustrated manuscript Shahnama of Firdowsi’ in Urdu script, the text panel 23.3x 14cm and the folio 33.5cm x 20cm.
Estimate: £4,000-£6,000
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A KASHMIRI LACQUER PAPIER-MÂCHÉ BOOK COVER
Kashmir, North India, 19th century
Of rectangular shape, each side finely worked in polychromes and gold highlights against a black ground with a matching design of a fantastical flowering bush, bordered by rows of small flowers, the two halves joined by a leather spine, the black interiors with a gold radiating starburst each, 33cm x 47.5cm when open.
Estimate: £200-£400
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A NASTA’LIQ CALLIGRAPHIC COMPOSITION
India, 19th century
Arabic manuscript on paper, in black ink, the text a section of Nad e ‘Ali and invocations to Allah, the prophet, and to ‘Ali within gold clouds against an illuminated ground, on eau-de-nil mount, framed and glazed, the folio 22cm x 17.5cm and 38cm x 33cm including the frame.
Estimate: £100-£200
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AN ILLUSTRATED LOOSE FOLIO FROM A KALPASUTRA MANUSCRIPT
Possibly Gujarat, North West India, mid-15th century
Opaque pigments, black ink and gold on paper, 7ll. to page of Prakrit text in Jain nagari script, on each side a panel miniature in gold, red, blue, turquoise, white and black, on one side Jina and Indra seated in front of two trees flanked by two attendants, on the other the composition separated in two, the top with a man seated in a yogic posture before the couch of Krishna, the bottom with Neminatha overcoming the gods represented by a four-armed deity, approximately 11cm x 26cm.
Estimate: £500-£700
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AN ILLUSTRATED LOOSE FOLIO FROM A KALAKACARYAKATHA MANUSCRIPT
Possibly Gujarat, North West India, 1400 – 1450
Opaque pigments, black ink and gold on paper, 7ll. to page of Prakrit text in Jain nagari script, the recto with two panel miniatures in gold, red and black depicting Indra in two forms, as an ascetic and as himself, paying homage to Kalaka, a red roundel imitating pothi hole in the centre of the text, the verso only with text and red roundel in the centre, within thick red rules, 11cm x 26cm.
The series from which this leaf comes is remarkable for the quality of the illustrations, which are characterised by a striking design consisting of figures and architectural details rendered entirely in gold against a red background. The absence of blue and the unadorned red dot point to a date in the first half of the 15th century. Indeed, it is only after the mid-15th century with the rise in stature and wealth of the Jain community that backgrounds to Jain paintings replaced red with blue, made from lapis lazuli imported from Afghanistan.
Estimate: £500-£700
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TWO ILLUSTRATED LOOSE FOLIOS FROM A KALPASUTRA MANUSCRIPT
Possibly Gujarat, North West India, 15th century
Opaque pigments and black ink on palm leaf, 5ll. to page of Prakrit text in Jain nagari script, red roundels and rosettes separating the text from the central miniature panels, one folio with Parshvanatha, the 23rd Jain Tirthankara (ford-maker, teacher of Jain teachings), seated in lotus position and with the typical sesha (serpent) hood, two attendants with fly-whisks on each side; the second folio with another Tirthankara seated on a high chair, reading and teaching the text to the attendees, each folio numbered in Gurmukhi script (12 and 35), possibly a later addition, approximately 8.3cm x 31cm.
Estimate: £3,000-£5,000
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FIVE JAIN BOOK COVERS
Gujarat, North West India, 18th – 19th century
Comprising two red velvet book covers embroidered with metal thread, sharing the same decoration with auspicious animals, Tirthankaras, symbols and objects central to the Jain tradition, the largest 30cm long; a satin silk book cover with cotton-embroidered polychrome roundels, 28.3cm long; two green silk book covers embroidered with metal thread, one with floral designs, the latter with similar details to the red velvet book covers, both 31cm long.
Estimate: £700-£900
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FOUR JAIN MYSTICAL DIAGRAMS (YANTRA)
Gujarat, North West India, late 19th – early 20th century
Opaque pigments on tinted and burnished paper, the traditional yantra form with a squared base with four rectangular extensions, the circular centre with a lotus containing triangles and hexagrams, in black ink Indian numerals to aid interpreting the mystical diagram and the chinnamasta puja mantra (the prayer for the Sixth Great Cosmic Wisdom Tantric Goddess, the goddess without a head), mounted on white cardboard frames, 31.5cm x 24cm including the frame.
Estimate: £400-£600
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SEVEN JAIN COSMOLOGICAL DIAGRAMS AND A PAINTING
Gujarat, North West India, late 19th – early 20th century
Opaque pigments on paper, five round diagrams with concentric polychrome circles, one possibly a stylised version of the Jambudvipa, the middle world, with fishes, tortoises and water jugs; two diagrams with different shapes, one with stepped design and the latter of globular shape and with inscriptions in Devanagari script; and a painting with five figures, possibly Tirthankaras, lying on their back in squared shrines with hemispherical domes, all mounted on white cardboard frames, the largest 35cm x 22.5cm including the frame.
Estimate: £400-£600
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THREE JAIN COSMOLOGICAL DIAGRAMS AND A TREE SHRINE
Gujarat, North West India, late 19th century
Opaque pigments on paper, the three cosmological diagrams with a similar composition, possibly depicting a stylised version of the Jain Jambudvipa, the middle world, arranged in concentric circles, one diagram with rivers filled with fishes and a tortoise and black ink inscriptions in Devanagari script, and another with circular and squared diagrams next to each other with four ornate palanquins on the cardinal points, mounted on green (2) and white (1) cardboard frames, the largest 33cm x 20.5cm including frames; and a tree shrine topped by a squared structure with three shikharas (towers), mounted on a green cardboard frame, 33cm x 20.5cm including the frame.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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AN ILLUSTRATION TO A RAGAMALA SERIES: SHRI RAGA
Datia, Madhya Pradesh, ca. 1725
Opaque pigments heightened with gold and black and red ink on paper, an interior scene depicting a nobleman with his consort enjoying traditional music played by female musicians, two attendants on the right with a peacock’s feather whisk and a tray with rosewater sprinklers, the architecture finely decorated with floral tendrils and geometric motifs, the top with 8ll. of black and red ink Devanagari script against ochre yellow ground, set in bright red borders, 33.3cm x 26.6cm.
Provenance: Christie’s London, 20 April 1999, lot 340;
Formerly in the Jane Greenough Green Collection.
Shri Raga is one of the six male Ragas (musical modes) which is to be played during the fourth parahar (Indian unit of time) of the day, coinciding with sunset. Part of the Purvi thaat, this raga has traditionally been associated with Lord Shiva. The mood it conveys is one of majesty combined with prayerful meditation. All these characteristics are masterfully portrayed in this painting. The nobleman holding a flower which is gently closed symbolises the end of the day and the sky above is darkening with the fading light represented by gold highlights.
For a similar example from the same collection, please see lot 212.
Estimate: £1,400-£1,600
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AN ILLUSTRATION TO A RAGAMALA SERIES
Datia, Madhya Pradesh, ca. 1725
Opaque pigments heightened with gold and black and red ink on paper, a terrace scene depicting a lady sitting on her knees playing a sitar, the two women in front of her keeping the tempo by clapping their hands, the attendant behind her holding a fly-whisk, several parrots joining the musical gathering, the palace on the right of the composition ornate with intricate carvings, the top with 7ll. of black and red ink Devanagari script against ochre yellow ground, set in bright red borders, 33.2cm x 26.5cm.
Provenance: Christie’s London, 20 April 1999, lot 340;
Formerly in the Jane Greenough Green Collection.
Estimate: £1,400-£1,600
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A FOLIO FROM A RAGAMALA SERIES
Malwa, North India, 18th – 19th century
Opaque pigments and gold on paper, the scene taking place in a palace interior at dawn, the prince getting dressed and adjusting his turban with the help of two attendants, one holding the end tail of the turban and the other a mirror, an inscription in black ink Devanagari script at the top against an ochre yellow ground, set in yellow and bright red borders, mounted on a white cardboard frame, 38.1cm x 28cm including the frame.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A FAMILY SCENE
Possibly Mewar, North India, 19th century
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, on the right a lady sitting on her knees with her hand raised in the action of speaking, opposite her a distinctive gentleman holding a rose in his hand and a young boy on his lap, the scene set in an interior, within black rules and set in bright red borders, inscriptions on the top in black ink in Western script identifying the characters as Yashoda and the baby Baladev, 21cm x 17.3cm.
Estimate: £300-£500
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RAMA AND SITA ON A THRONE
Mewar, North India, 18th – 19th century
Opaque pigments heightened with silver on paper, Rama and Sita seated cross-legged on a hexagonal throne, flanked by two attendants with fly-whisks, Garuda and Hanuman standing in the foreground, a high horizon line and bejewelled parasol in the background, within black rules, set in bright red borders, a black ink Devanagari inscription at the top, inventory numbers and previous owner’s comments on the back, 24cm x 14.8cm.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A PORTRAIT OF VIRABHADRA
Mewar, North India, 19th century
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, in the centre of the composition the three-eyed Virabhadra, the fearsome warrior form of god Shiva avenging Sati’s death, seated cross-legged, his skin dark as the stormy clouds, holding his weapons ready to initiate the fight, within black and white rules, set in bright red borders, a black ink Devanagari script inscription at the top and more inscriptions on the back, 26.8cm x 19.5cm.
Provenance: UK private collection purchased in the UK market in 1970s.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A KING SEEKING ADVICE FROM AN ASCETIC
Mewar, North India, 19th century
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, the two paintings presenting a very similar narrative composition with a king seeking advice from an ascetic in the background at the top, the middle ground dominated by scenes with gods such as Krishna calming a frenzied horse and listening to music, and Balarama saving two maidens from a group of evil monkeys, and the foreground with the final resolution, in one painting with the king being ridden back on his chariot and in the latter, Balarama surrounded by the girls he saved, within black rules and set in bright red borders, each approximately 37.8cm x 25.5cm.
Estimate: £1,600-£1,800
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LAYLA VISITING MAJNUN IN THE FOREST
Jodhpur, Marwar, North India, late 19th century
Opaque pigments and gold on paper, the emaciated Majnun sitting under a tree whilst reading a manuscript, birds on the tree and a dog on his side as his only companions, Leyla sitting on her knees in front of him with a golden tray filled with delights, her two attendants behind her with more vessels and gifts for the restless lover, the background with a city view and high horizon line, within yellow and white rules, set in red borders, with an old inventory sticker in the back ‘7350 Jodhpur c.1840’, 28.4cm x 21.6cm.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A PORTRAIT OF A YELLOW-DRESSED NOBLEMAN
North India, early 20th century
Opaque pigments and gold on paper, the nobleman sitting on his knees in an interior, resting against a pink cushion and holding up a black shield with gold bosses, his turban secured with a large emerald brooch and decorated with a black heron feather, the colour of his dress possibly referring to the celebration of Vasant Panchami, the Spring Festival, on a light blue ground, pink and blue rules, set on a green cardboard frame, 32.5cm x 24.5cm including the frame.
Estimate: £300-£400
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A PORTRAIT OF A STANDING NOBLEMAN
Provincial Mughal School, North India, 19th century
Opaque pigments and gold on paper, the standing nobleman portrayed in profile view, clad in a lavish gold outfit, showcasing his black shield and encrusted katar dagger and sword, on a light green ground, gold and black rules, mounted on a white cardboard frame, 34cm x 26cm including the frame.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A NOBLEMAN SITTING ON A TERRACE
North India, 19th century
Opaque pigments on paper, the nobleman, possibly a Maharaja, sitting on a hexagonal high chair, the attendant behind him whisking a peacock’s feather fan, in front of him three warriors with their shields and push-daggers, and another standing attendant holding a long shamshir sword, the composition going beyond the yellow and black rules, within thick red borders, mounted, framed and glazed, 37.5cm x 32.5cm including the frame.
Estimate: £800-£1,000
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A PORTRAIT OF A NOBLEMAN
Possibly Sawar, North India, early 20th century
A tinted drawing with black ink and light opaque pigments on paper, the nobleman sitting cross-legged in the middle of the composition showcasing his arrow, bow, shield and sword, possibly belonging to the ksatriya caste, an inscription in black ink and underlined in red ink at the top attributing the portrait to Rao Sor Singh Ji Deva, mounted on a white cardboard frame, 30.5cm x 25.5cm including the frame.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A NOBLEMAN SITTING ON A TERRACE
Provincial Mughal School, North India, late 19th century
Opaque pigments and gold on tinted paper, the bejewelled nobleman sitting on a throne in the middle of the composition, portrayed with a halo, holding a falcon on his bare finger, flanked by two attendants, one holding a fly-whisk, the scene set on an elegant terrace with delicate marble carvings, with floral borders and double blue rules, 31cm x 26cm.
Estimate: £500-£700
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TWO PORTRAITS OF NOBLEMEN
Punjab and Pahari Hills, North India, mid 18th century
Two tinted drawings with black ink and light opaque pigments on stained paper, the first portrait with a nobleman sitting on his knees, his right hand lifted with the finger pointing out in the act of starting to speak, his outfit and turban typical of the Punjabi area, a faded and undeciphered inscription at the top, mounted on a white cardboard frame, 30.4cm x 23.3cm including the frame; and the latter with another nobleman, possibly Raja Balwant Singh of Jasrota, resting against a cushion and with a falcon on his right hand, mounted on a white cardboard frame, 25cm x 22.2cm including the frame.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A ROYAL COUPLE IN BED
North India, 19th century
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, the bedroom scene with a nobleman sitting on the bed with his lover, three female attendants playing instruments and serving drinks, at the top a rectangular cartouche with black ink Devangari script, within yellow, silver, cobalt blue rules and thick red borders, mounted, framed and glazed, 40cm x 32cm including the frame.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A PORTRAIT OF A RAJA ON HORSEBACK
Punjabi Hills, North India, late 19th century
Opaque pigments and gold on paper, the Raja on horseback flanked by two attendants holding a bejewelled parasol, each with their black shield on the back, the composition set in floral borders, the edges tinted in pink, dotted in light red and with yellow polylobed cartouches filled with birds on a white ground, 28.5cm x 21cm.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A COURT LADY WITH HER NURSE
Lucknow or Faizabad, Mughal India, late 18th century
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, the court lady standing in the centre of an architectural composition, looking up behind her back, her nurse caressing her head and arm, visibly joyful to see her, set within gold, red, white and green rules and framed by two later gold-decorated borders, one with floral band and the latter with animals, courtly figures and floral bloom, remounted on later cardboard, 38.8cm x 26.8cm.
The composition and style of this painting exemplify quintessential features of the late Mughal pictorial production of the third and last quarter of the 18th century. Indeed, Lucknow and Faizabad paintings seem to share a predilection for night scenes with women, often captured in debate, celebrating festivals, banqueting or playing games. The hours of the night offered such a visually stimulating chromatic contrast, and the late Mughal painters successfully rendered this antithesis by mixing very bright garments and accessories in the fore and middle ground to sombre, darker architectures and horizons in the background. In terms of pictorial style, a new stronger attention is directed to the rendering of the characters’ psychological tension, which although indebted to earlier Mughal paintings it appears in later examples with an even higher degree of finesse and depth. As an example, the lady’s intense look, the tightly sealed lips and the raised hand convey an atmosphere of secrecy to the scene in clear juxtaposition with the nurse’s open smiling mouth and her forward-leaning animated pose.
Estimate: £2,000-£3,000
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A LADY AND A MUSICIAN
Pahari school, North India, 19th century
Opaque pigments and gold on paper, the lavishly dressed lady standing next to a tree and resting her head against her arm in a pensive mood, the more simply dressed musician sitting on his knees and playing a sitar, with a natural background, mounted on thick cardboard, 16.8cm x 12.8cm.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A COLLAGE OF AN INDIAN PAINTING OF A COURT LADY WITH TWO FEMALE ATTENDANTS AND OF A SAFAVID VEGETAL BORDER
India, 19th century
Opaque pigments and black ink heightened with gold on paper, the painting depicting a night scene on a palace’s terrace, the court lady in the centre drinking from a small cup and getting her foot massaged by one of the attendants, the latter holding two pyriform flasks, set within a separate, earlier red, blue and gold frame, the lower part of the collage decorated with an elegant floral and vegetal bloom with interlocking saz leaves, rosettes and lotus flowers, drawn in black ink over a gold ground, below that a cartouche bearing a note written in a Western hand in black ink stating the collage was found in Vigon Ally’s house at Benares, the whole composition framed by a thin layer of gold foil, the back with pasted cut-outs of a painted ring-necked pheasant, another bird in black and white and a bee, mounted on a white cardboard frame, 28cm x 23cm including the frame.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A PRINCE ON HORSEBACK AWAITING HIS LOVER
Jodhpur school, India, mid 19th century
Opaque pigments heightened in gold and silver on paper, the sumptuously clad and heavily bejewelled prince on horseback on the left shore waiting for his lover to cross the lake separating them, behind him a small Shaiva shrine with a lingam, Nandi and a stele, the lover in the act of crossing holding up her dress to avoid getting it wet, in the background a fort with direct access to the lake, possibly a stylised version of the Mehrangarh Fort with the Ranisar Talab in front, 29.5cm x 21cm.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A LADY CROSSING THE RIVER TO MEET HER LOVER
Jodhpur school, North India, ca. 1880
Opaque pigments and gold on paper, the lady in the centre of the composition crossing the river whilst holding a lotus and a round earthenware pot, her lover awaiting her on the other side of the river, seated cross-legged on a veranda, the scene possibly inspired by the 18th-century tragic Punjabi romance of Sohni Mahiwal, set in brown red borders, within two thin white rules, the back with two undeciphered stamps in Devanagari script, mounted on a white cardboard frame, 30.2cm x 23.2cm.
Estimate: £800-£1,000
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THE CHURNING OF THE OCEAN OF MILK (SAMUDRA MANTHANA)
Pahari school, North India, late 18th – 19th century
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, an illustration of Vishnu avatara series from the Bhagavata and Vishnu Purana, the god Vishnu seated cross-legged on mount Mandara supported by his avatar Kurma, the tortoise, churning the Ocean of Milk with the help of Shiva and Brahma on the left hand-side and two Asuras (demons) on the right hand-side, at the top Airavata, Indra’s elephant, and the divine seven-headed horse Uchhaishravas, at the bottom, Kamadhenu, Brahma’s wish-granting cow, within gold and red rules, mounted, framed and glazed, 44.5cm x 36.5cm including the frame.
Estimate: £1,600-£1,800
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TWO ELEPHANTS ATTACKED BY SNAKES
North India, 18th – 19th century
Tinted drawing, opaque and transparent pigments and black ink on paper, each painting with an elephant in the centre of the composition being attacked by several snakes, the elephants’ skin realistically painted using stippling effect with grey, brown and pink pigments, each within black rules and set in red borders, covered by a thin sheet of acid-free paper, the back stamped with an undeciphered quote in Urdu added at a later stage, each 15.1cm x 13.4cm.
Provenance: UK private collection purchased in the UK market in 1970s.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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TWO SCENES FROM PALACE LIFE
Provincial school, North West India, late 19th – early 20th century
Opaque pigments heightened with silver and gold on paper, the first painting with four women paying respect to a Shaiva shrine characterised by a lingam-yoni statue inside, a tiger chained to the shrine, a lotus pond in the foreground and traditional palatial setting in the middle and background; and the latter with a nobleman and his lover caught in a tender embrace, the maiden fixing the curtain, peacocks on the roof of the palace, a lotus pond in the foreground, each within black rules and set in bright red borders, the largest 33.4cm x 24.8cm.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A GATHERING OF NATH YOGIS
Pahari school, North India, late 18th century
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, depicting five men gathered in a semi-circle outside a village hut, three of them holding mala (rosary beads) in their hands, the remaining two with mala wrapped around their turbans, the central figure with long dreadlocks reading from a rectangular manuscript with an undeciphered inscription in Devanagari script, seated on tiger skin and with a bunch of peacock’s feathers next to him, a black Shiva lingam in the background, mounted and framed, 7cm x 9.8cm excluding the frame.
Estimate: £300-£500
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KRISHNA RIDING A COMPOSITE ELEPHANT
Pahari school, North India, late 18th century
Opaque pigments and gold on tinted paper, Krishna playing the flute whilst riding a composite elephant formed by nine gopis, set in a green lush landscape with palm trees in the background and lotus flowers pond in the foreground, within black rules and red borders, in the back a faded and undeciphered inscription in Western characters with the date 1608/10, 22.5cm x 15cm.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,200
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SHRI NATHJI PLAYING THE FLUTE
Kota, North West India, late 19th century
Opaque pigments and gold on paper, in the centre the blue-skinned god Shri Nathji, a form of the Hindu god Kirshna manifested as a seven-year old child (Balak), standing on a lotus flower and playing the flute, two lavishly-clad female attendants on his sides, holding in their hands bejewelled fly-whisks with peacock’s feathers, set in bright red borders, 31cm x 22cm.
Estimate: £300-£400
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KRISHNA ON A BOAT WITH RADHA AND THE GOPIS
Possibly Kota, North West India, 19th century
A tinted drawing with black ink and transparent pigments on paper, the foreground with Krishna and Radha on a boat with the Gopis, both of them holding lotus flowers in their hands and portrayed with a halo, several fishes, ducks and lotus flowers in the water, the middle and background composition characterised by a palatial setting with polylobed arches and terraces with traditional chhajjas, parrots and peacocks further animating the scene, within thin black rules, mounted on a red cardboard frame, 31.6cm x 38cm including the frame.
Estimate: £300-£400
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VISHNU RECLINING ON THE SERPENT SESHA (ANANTASAYANA)
Kangra, Pahari Hills, late 19th century
Opaque pigments and gold on paper, the god Vishnu reclining against the giant hood of the serpent Shesha while his consort Lakshmi massages his feet, dressed in a yellow dhoti and wearing a golden bejewelled crown and several strands of pearl necklace, his attributes such as the conch shell and the mace lying next to him, a lotus stem rising from his navel supporting a pink blossom and the four-headed god Brahma, all upon floating on a sea filled with pink lotus flowers and nymphaeas, set inside floral borders, the edges tinted in pink and speckled in red, 19.7cm x 31cm.
Estimate: £600-£800
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THE GODDESS KALI AND NINE TANTRIC MANIFESTATIONS OF THE DEVI
Jaipur school, late 19th century
Opaque pigments and gold on paper, at the top the goddess Kali portrayed whilst performing the Dance of Destruction on Shiva’s corpse, followed by nine manifestations of Tantric Deities in different settings, each with a gold oval cartouche reporting their name in black ink Devanagari script, with yellow and bright red borders, mounted on a white cardboard frame, 35.5cm x 28cm including the frame.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A PORTRAIT OF A RULER
North India, late 19th century
Opaque pigments heightened with silver and gold on paper, in a palace interior the heavily bejewelled ruler seated on a silver throne, portrayed with a halo and holding a pearl and emerald-encrusted sarpech (turban ornament), the attendant in front of him holding his hands tight together as a sign of respect and the three attendants behind him with a fly-whisk, a peacock’s feather fan and a gilt baton, within black, blue, white and ochre yellow rules, 27.2cm x 21.3cm.
Estimate: £400-£600
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TWO LOVERS
India, late 19th century
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, two lovers caught in a moment of intimacy whilst lying on a canopy and merrily drinking, mounted, framed and glazed, 30.5cm x 24cm including the frame.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A COMPLETE SET OF BARAMASA (TWELVE MONTHS) ILLUSTRATIONS
Bikaner, Rajasthan, North West India, mid 18th century
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, each depicting a month of the year, with a nobleman and his lover engaged in various courtly pastimes, with 4ll. of Devanagari script in red and black ink in the text panel above identifying and describing each month and scene, mounted, framed and glazed, 36cm x 25.4cm including the frame.
The term Baramasa literally translates to ‘Twelve Months’, so the aim of these paintings is to provide the beholder with a complete set of monthly activities and attributes. The composition of these paintings is typical of a number of Bikaner Baramasa series, including one that sold at Christie’s Mumbai, 18th December 2016, Lot 28; one in the Stuart Cary Welch Collection, sold at Sotheby’s London, 31st May 2011, Lot 17; and one at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (inv. no. IS.32-1980).
In the 18th century, the style of Bikaner had moved away from the Mughal standards and a more prominent influence from the Rajput schools became evident. The strong yellow inscription panel at the top, the immediacy but also the stylised idealisation of the depiction and the strength of the colouring are all elements consistent with this transition.
Estimate: £10,000-£12,000
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TEN TIBETAN LOOSE FOLIOS WITH PRAYS
Tibet, 18th – 19th century
Ten rectangular loose folios with 5ll. to the page of black ink Tibetan script, each with a central miniature panel filled with images of different gods from the Tantric Buddhist pantheon, mounted, framed and glazed, 77cm x 51cm including the frame.
Estimate: £1,800-£2,000
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FOUR TIBETAN LOOSE FOLIOS WITH PRAYS
Tibet, 18th – 19th century
Four rectangular loose folios with 5ll. to the page of black ink Tibetan script, each with a central miniature panel filled with images of different gods from the Tantric Buddhist pantheon, mounted, framed and glazed, 45cm x 45cm including the frame.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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A GROTESQUE NIGHT SCENE WITH MONSTERS
Batuan School, Bali, Indonesia, first half 20th century
Opaque pigments and acrylic colours on French paper by the Papeteries Canson et Montgolfier, the scene illustrating a spooky and grotesque gathering of monsters, animals and mythical beings with bulging eyes and long fangs torturing wretched villagers, signed ‘Dw. Md. Kardi Batuan Bali’, 54cm x 41.5cm.
According to Claire Holt, Batuan paintings were often dark, crowded representations of either legendary scenes or themes from daily life. They portrayed above all fearsome nocturnal moments when grotesque spooks, freakish animal monsters and witches accosted people. Gradations of black to white ink washes were laid over most of the surface to create an atmosphere of darkness and gloom. The designs started covering the entire space from 1930s onward, which often contributed to the crowded nature of these paintings (Hildred Geertz, Images of Power: Balinese Paintings Made for Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead, University of Hawaii Press, 1994).
Estimate: £150-£200
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VULTURES AND PREDATORS FEEDING UPON A HUMAN CORPSE
Possibly Mumbai or Puri, India, late 19th – early 20th century
Opaque and transparent pigments on paper, the grim scene presenting a human corpse surrounded by vultures and predators feeding upon it, each animal and human organ depicted with accuracy, the back with an old cataloguing note by Peter Marks Works of Art (New York) and ownership inventory stickers, framed and glazed, 34.5cm x 40cm including the frame.
Provenance: Roseberys, 24 April 2017, lot 244.
The present work shows interesting connections to the Parsi / Zoroastrian belief system and the idea that members of the Parsi community shouldn’t pollute the elements with their corpses. Thus, the tradition of placing them in tall towers called Silence Towers and let animals feed upon them.
Estimate: £500-£700
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AN OVAL PORTRAIT MINIATURE
Possibly France or England, 18th century
Opaque pigments on oval ivory medallion, portraying a distinctive looking gentleman in three-quarter view wearing an Indian muslin shirt with typical floral patterns, a light pink jacket, white handkerchief around his neck tied into a rounded knot in the front, and a colourful Kashmiri shawl wrapped around his head in the fashion of a high turban typical of Northern India and Afghanistan, possibly representing a Western official or high commissioner portrayed with local clothing, the frame stamped ‘750’ (18 carat gold), mounted, glazed and framed, 6cm long including the frame.
Estimate: £200-£300
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A GROUP OF ELEVEN INDIAN MINIATURES
Company School, Delhi, North India, late 19th century
Opaque pigments on oval ivory medallions, comprising a set of nine miniatures mounted in a carved ebony frame and depicting the Mughal emperors Akbar and Shah Jahan, the empress Mumtaz Mahal, Jahangir’s consort Nur Jahan, and renowned Indian monuments, such as the Lal Qila, the Qutb Minar, the I’timad-ud-Daulah mausoleum and the Taj Mahal, 22cm x 20.5cm; a portrait of a Maharaja wearing a light blue turban, bright yellow outfit, several strands of pearls and emerald-encrusted pendants, on his forehead the Vaishnava tilaka, also called Urdhva Pundra, the two white lines which the Vaishnava devotees paint on their foreheads, mounted, glazed and framed, 10cm long; and a depiction of the goddess Kali dancing on the corpse of Lord Shiva, mounted, glazed and framed, 12cm x 11cm.
Provenance: Sotheby’s London, Wormington Manor House Sale, 21 and 22 July 2003, lot 402A and in private UK collection since.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A SILVER BOX
Kutch, North West India, late 19th century
Of rectangular form, the hinged lid with a scroll-shaped handle, the wooden structure covered in seamless sheets of repoussé silver decorated with symmetrical scrolling foliage and flowers against a dotted ground, the interior lined with purple velvet, with functioning small key and locking mechanism, 9cm x 12.5cm x 18cm.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A SILVER REPOUSSÉ LIDDED JAR
Kutch, North-West India, late 19th century
Of cylindrical shape with flared neck and wide mouth covered with a circular lid, on a plain base, the typical Kutch school decoration characterised by a dense scrolling foliated and floriated field between two registers of trilobed palmettes, in the centre of the composition a blazon incised with initials in Roman alphabet ‘C. P.’, 18.2cm high.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A KASHMIRI SHAWL WITH COPPER GREEN CENTRE
Kashmir, North India, 19th century
Of oblong proportions, twill tapestry-woven in coloured fine wools with dominant borders of long butis infilled with floral sprigs around a large rectangular verdigris centre invaded by bent butis in all four corners, and a fine border of stylised vegetal motifs; typically woven in different sections, invisibly mended together by rafugars, the harlequin borders to protect the end fringes; 313 x 140cm.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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A MUGHAL BRONZE EWER
North India, 18th Century
Of fine globular shape, on a circular splayed foot, rising to a tall flared neck, the hemispherical lid with round knob on top, the exterior plain, 27cm high.
Estimate: £400-£600
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AN ENAMELLED SILVER DESSERT VESSEL
Kashmir, North India, 19th century
Resting on three feet, the central shaft decorated as the bark of two palm trees, a yellow-painted ibex standing next to them, seven palm leaves soldered at the top of the neck and enamelled in yellow as well, the container of compressed globular shape with crenellated rim, the exterior in high relief and ornate with scrolling tendrils of yellow leaves, in the centre an empty heraldic cartouche, 23.3cm high.
Estimate: £400-£600
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AN INDIAN BRASS ASTROLABE
India, late 18th – early 19th century
Of typical form, the limb divided 1-60 by 1 and marked by 5, four etched plates, the rete with 30 named star pointers, the throne of cusped shape and plain, pin and horse in place, the reverse with trigonometric quadrant and shadow square, the back and front profusely inscribed in Devanagari script, 28cm high and 21cm radius.
Estimate: £3,000-£5,000
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A COLONIAL INDO-PORTUGUESE TRUNK
Possibly Mehvar or Malabar Coast, India, late 17th – 18th century
Of rectangular form, with hinged lid and several pierced brass fittings on all sides, the top carved with figural decoration with a male and a female character facing each other, their outfits, accessories and physiognomy indicating a foreign origin, possibly African, the front carved with lush vegetal and floral tendrils emerging from a vase, and the sides with hatched lines in opposite directions creating geometric designs, two handles, the interior divided in compartments, the base and pedestal missing, 117.2cm x 46cm.
Estimate: £600-£800
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AN INDIAN SILVER REPOUSSÉ MIRROR FRAME
India, late 19th century
Of rectangular shape, the silver sheets mounted on a wooden frame and decorated with scrolling tendrils and birds, at the top a fragment of a blank heraldic shield flanked by two parrots, 49.5cm x 37cm.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A KASHMIRI SHAWL,
Kashmir, North India, late 19th century
Of square shape, the un-dyed ivory pashmina ground embroidered in coloured silks with a central starburst at the meeting point of four elongated split palmettes, the border tightly worked with repeating scrolling designs, the four diagonal palmettes in the corners stemming from the border, workshop markings in red, 180cm x 170cm.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A SAFAVID-STYLE INCISED KASHMIRI SILVER TEA SET
Kashmir, North India, 19th century
Comprising a teapot, with globular body and sinuous spout, with wooden handle, 13.8cm high; a sugar bowl with domed lid, 10.5cm high; a globular container for sugar cubes with round lid, 9cm high; a creamer, 7.2cm; and a small rectangular tray, 10.8cm long.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A SILVER-INLAID BIDRI BASIN
Bidar, Deccan, India, late 18th – early 19th century
Of compressed globular shape, on a circular short foot, with wide sloping rim, the silver-inlaid decoration on the body with diamond-shaped cartouches designed with lush leaves and filled with flower heads, the sieve with oval leaves pattern, vegetal sprays and a central faceted knob, signed on the interior, 36cm diam. and 12cm high.
Estimate: £2,000-£3,000
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A SILVER-INLAID BIDRI ROSEWATER SPRINKLER
India, 19th century
Of compressed globular shape, on short splayed foot, with tall cylindrical neck, the body decorated with traditional bands of flowers and geometric patterns, 26cm high.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A SILVER-INLAID BIDRI FLASK
India, 18th century
Of pyriform shape, on short splayed foot, the body decorated with several floral and vegetal bands, in the centre lush palmettes filled with flowers and alternated by leafy trees, the foot and the rim further decorated with geometric motifs, 20cm high.
Estimate: £500-£700
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* A PAIR OF SILVER-INLAID BIRD-SHAPED SCISSORS
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
India, 19th century
Zoomorphically-shaped to represent a bird, the body and beak decorated with scrolling vegetal tendrils and lush foliage, the eyes encrusted with turquoises, 19.5cm long.
For an almost identical example, see the one in the Benaki Museum Collection, inventory number ΓΕ 13227 (https://www.benaki.gr/index.php?option=com_collectionitems&view=collectionitem&id=117433&Itemid=0&lang=en).
* 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.
Estimate: £400-£600
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AN INDIAN BRASS LOTA (WATER JUG)
India, 19th century
Of bulbous shape, resting on a tall splayed foot and rising to a flared neck with wide mouth, on the rim an undeciphered inscription in Bengali script, the straight spout ending in a bud-like shape, the body and neck gadrooned, the spout and the foot incised, 30cm high.
Estimate: £400-£600
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AN INDIAN COPPER EWER
North India, 19th Century
Of flattened globular shape, on a tall splayed foot, with a tapering neck and curved spout, the handle reminiscent of dragon handles in earlier productions, the hemispherical lid safely attached, 30.5cm high.
Estimate: £200-£400
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AN INDIAN BRASS FOOTED EWER
North India, 19th century
Of pyriform shape, resting on four feet shaped as animal paws, rising to a tall tapering neck, with hemispherical lid and oval knob, a straight spout and S-shaped dragon handle on the sides, the engraved body decorated with central drop-shaped cartouches filled with floral designs repeated at the bottom and top, the background with stylised diamond-shaped pattern, 38.5cm high.
Estimate: £200-£400
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AN INDIAN EBONISED WOOD LOW TABLE
Delhi, India, early 20th century
Of rectangular shape, resting on four legs, the carved decoration consisting of dense vine scrolls and floral sprays with rosettes, the top with six crescent moons against floral tendrils, 64.5cm x 64.8cm.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A SILVER-MOUNTED MOTHER-OF-PEARL POWDER FLASK
Gujarat, North West India, late 17th – 18th century
Formed from a turbo shell (gastropod), with a cylindrical register composed of cut mother-of-pearl panels applied in a floral pattern on the top and in a geometric triangular pattern on the neck, the silver stopper in the form of a flower, with a securing light brown velvet chainlet to the belt ring, approximately 16cm x 14cm.
Provenance: Collection Roland de la Poype, Fondateur de Marineland d’Antibes, Musée de la Marine, auctioned by Pichon & Noudel-Deniau, Cannes, 3 December 2016, lot 371.
Analogous Gujarati powder flasks have already been successfully sold in the London art market at Christie’s London, 7 December 2006, lot 24; Christie’s South Kensington, 1 October 2012, lot 45; and Bonhams London, 10 April 2008, lot 299.
Estimate: £1,500-£1,800
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AN INDIAN PAINTED GUNPOWDER FLASK
Possibly Gujarat, North West India, 19th century
Of circular form, the composite shape representing a mythical creature, possibly a makara, and emerging from its mouth an elephant and a lady with a peacock, possibly a reference to the Hindu Goddess Sarasvati, painted in red, brown, white, grey, gold and blue pigments, the stopper just below the lady, on a pedestal, 18.2cm high excluding the pedestal.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A CARVED WATERED-STEEL PUSH-DAGGER (KATAR)
North India, 18th century
Of typical form, the tapered double-edged steel blade with reinforced tip, the ridge with dense carved decoration consisting of an elephant and mahout attacked by a lion and animal fighting on one side and a frenzied elephant being tamed by courtly horsemen on the other, the straight handle with double grip, traces of gold inlay on the blade, 54.5cm long.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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A FINE MUGHAL JADE DAGGER HILT
North India, 18th century
Of long slender form, with sinuous bifurcated ends, the hand guard in the shape of a vegetal stem terminating in an oval flower bud, one of the bottom ends marked with gold, possibly an evidence of a later Japanese restoration with the kintsukuroi technique, mounted on a clear stand, 13cm high.
Estimate: £2,500-£3,000
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A BRASS-INLAID STEEL SADDLE-AXE HEAD (TABARZIN)
Possibly Deccan, Central India, 19th century
Of typical form, the steel single-edged blade of curved shape and with a crescentic cutting edge, engraved with calligraphic lines of Ya ‘Ali and floral tendrils on the sides and with a dense vegetal and floral bloom on the top, the borders inlaid with brass, 16.8cm long.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A STEEL HELMET (KHULA KHUD)
Deccan, India, late 16th – 17th century
Of hemispherical shape, with central pointy finial, noseguard, two plume holders and attached chainmail, the exterior plain, 22cm diam. and approximately 30cm high.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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A SMALL SINHALESE DAGGER (PIHA KAETTA)
Sri Lanka, early 19th century
With single-edged steel blade with fuller along the back edge, the forte covered with cast and engraved brass panels decorated with dense floral spray, the blade below the forte inlaid with silver vegetal scrolls, the carved wood hilt with brass mounts and pommel-cap, the scabbard mounted on wood and covered with a thin metal sheet now oxidised, with an extra compartment possibly once filled with another knife, 24.5cm long including scabbard.
Estimate: £200-£300
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A SOUTH INDIAN STEEL SPEARHEAD
Thanjavur (Tanjore), South India, 19th century
With curved double-edged steel blade with central ridge, the steel shaft of elongated cylindrical form with conical base, four decorative rings and profuse silver-inlaid floral and vegetal decoration, 38.8cm long.
Estimate: £300-£500
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* AN EMBROIDERED SHAWL
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Kashmir, India, 19th century
The near-square panel of shaped wool pieces invisibly-mended applique together with the outlines of a woven Kashmiri shawl, finely embroidered in coloured silks to imitate a twill-tapestry shawl with elaborately sinuous designs in-filled with floral butis and scrolling palmettes in an asymmetrical fashion, the ‘commission cartouche’ embroidered in yellow silk, 184cm x 185cm.
The present shawl was probably made to be draped over a European dress bustle, the curved lines to fall in line with the fashion of Victorian age, yet the embroidered ‘commission cartouche’ would normally signify export to the Iranian market, making it rather a rare example of its kind.
* 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.
Estimate: £1,500-£2,500
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THREE CHAMPLEVÉ ENAMELLED SCABBARD MOUNTS
Lucknow, North India, 18th century
Of typical shape, the higher mounts parcel-gilt and decorated with rosettes and tulips one side and ducks and fishes against a vegetal ground on the other, the lower mount with a proper animal jungle with elephants, lions, gazelles, ibexes, rams, camels, herons, peacocks and several birds against a lush vegetal and floral ground, the higher mounts 4cm x 8cm and the lower 21cm high.
Very similar mounts with analogous composition and design were sold with a full shamshir at Sotheby’s London, 8 October 2014, lot 235. The wealth of details and the variety of animals depicted on these mounts can also be found on an exquisite scabbard part of the Al-Sabah Collection in Kuwait (Salam Kaoukji, Precious Indian Weapons and Other Princely Accoutrements, 2017, pp. 326 – 329, cat. 114).
Estimate: £600-£800
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AN ENAMELLED DRINKING CUP WITH LID
Kashmir or Lucknow, India, 19th century
Of traditional shape, a hemispherical cup resting on a slanted foot, the decoration consisting of floral bouquets encased in polylobed arches in the centre and on the foot, with lush scrolling vegetal tendrils around the lid and elegant cypresses on the pointed lid, the background filled with champlevé green and blue enamelling, 20cm x 11.5cm.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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TWO PARCEL-GILT ENAMELLED SILVER SALTS
Lucknow, India, 18th century
Of typical hemispherical shape, resting on three round feet, the blue and green enamelled decoration consisting of two continuous bands, one with wild animals fighting and the latter with a sinuous scrolling floral tendril, two old inventory labels on the base marked ‘J. P. W.’ and attributed to ‘Cashmere’ artistic production, 6cm diam.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A SMALL LACQUERED PAPIER-MÂCHÉ PEN CASE (QALAMDAN) WITH MOTHER-OF-PEARL INKWELL (DAWAT)
Deccan, India, 18th century
With rounded ends and sliding tray, the top and sides painted with horizontal composition of birds amidst lush floral spray, polychrome-painted raised decoration on gold ground, the internal tray and the underside with gold vegetal tendrils on red ground, the mother-of-pearl dawat finely carved in shape and pierced with star motif, 16cm long.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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A DECCANI PORTABLE PAPIER-MÂCHÉ MIRROR CASE
Deccan, India, 18th – 19th century
Of rectangular form, the brass-hinged cover finely painted in polychromes against a crushed gold ground in late Safavid-style with an elegant youth feeding and watering birds in a garden, the case opens to reveal a garden court scene in Deccani style, of a group of eight courtiers in conversation around a standing maiden, in various poses of wonderment and submission, the reverse with a Deccani style Mughal prince enthroned in a garden beneath a chattri in the presence of musicians and courtiers, the many birds in the background tree echoing the front panel, the mirror missing, 26cm x 18.5cm.
Estimate: £3,000-£4,000
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A SILVER REPOUSSÉ LIDDED EWER
Possibly Ladakh or Kashmir, North India, late 19th – early 20th century
The bulbous body resting on a tall splayed foot and rising to an hourglass-shaped neck, topped by a compressed hemispherical lid with a diamond-shaped knob, the handle and the spout shaped with zoomorphic designs imitating makara and mythical creatures, the rest of the body decorated with scrolling vegetal tendrils and polylobed palmettes, 27.8cm high.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A KASHMIRI WHITE METAL TEA SET
Kashmir, North India, late 19th – early 20th century
Comprising a tea pot, a creamer, and a hot water pot on a polylobed tray, the engraved and hammered decoration consisting of vegetal sprays, stylised arabesques and floral motifs, the tallest vessel 17cm high and the tray 43cm wide.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A TAMIL NADU BRONZE FIGURE OF A RIDER
South India, 17th – 18th century
Of solid bronze, a rider in traditional outfit and with tall headdress on a groomed horse, areas of green patina and oxidisation all over the statuette, 12.5cm x 11cm.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A BIRD-SHAPED SILVER INCENSE BURNER
India, 19th century
In the shape of a stylised bird, resting on two feet, with a supportive leg at the rear, the head movable, the body and head with pierced geometric decoration to let the incense fumes out, 16.5cm x 14.8cm.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A CHOLA-REVIVAL STYLE BRONZE SCULPTURE OF THE GOD GANESHA
Possibly South India, 19th century
The bronze sculpture representing a dancing Ganesha with circular floriated halo, with four arms holding several attributes, such as a five-pointed star, a laddoo treat, a star-shaped candle holder, and his tusk, his headdress and accoutrements all finely decorated with beads and ornate straps, on a lotus pedestal mounted on a squared pedestal reminiscent of Chola processional pedestals, 77cm high.
Estimate: £500-£700
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THREE SCULPTURAL BRONZE ACCOUTREMENTS
Possibly Burma or Laos, 17th – 18th century
Comprising a trident (trisula), a dagger and an axe, all finely carved with floral and geometric motifs on the handles, each mounted on later black pedestals, the tallest 36cm high.
Estimate: £1,200-£1,600
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A LARGE CARVED WOODEN PANEL WITH A ZOOMORPHIC CALLIGRAPHIC COMPOSITION
Possibly Deccan, India, 20th century
Of rectangular shape, the recessed centre carved in relief with an undeciphered calligraphic composition in the form of a horse, the frame with carved stylised flower heads and palmettes, 104.5cm x 129.5cm including the frame.
For an almost identical panel, please see Bonhams London, 24 April 2018, lot 316.
Estimate: £600-£800
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A RARE INDONESIAN BRASS MAGICAL EGG
Possibly Madura or Java, Indonesia, 19th century
Egg-shaped amulet with Islamic prayers in brass and written in Jawi script, the inscriptions most likely rendering the 99 names of God, a tradition often seen in Ottoman eggs and probably reaching Indonesia via the Aceh Sultanate, a major regional power in the 16th and 17th centuries maintaining close commercial, cultural, religious and military exchanges with the Ottoman court since the time of Suleiman the Magnificence (r. 1530–1566), 7cm long.
Similar talismanic pieces are found in Java made out of brass or clay. Within Indonesian lore, these particular objects serve as magical protective devices, destined to guard carriers from dangers and harm. They are often used as meditation tools to be held in the devotees’ hands during ritual prayers.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A PAIR OF BRONZE FINIALS
Khmer, Angkor Period, Bayon Style, 13th century
Each with a stylised three-headed Garuda surrounded by a flaming halo, the top characterised by a monstrous kirtimukha with fangs and bulging eyes, raised backbone, with rich green patina overall, mounted on a later black pedestal, 10cm high.
Provenance: from the collection of The Late Peter Marks (1935-2010), New York;
Acquired by the present vendor from the estate of the above, 2017.
Estimate: £500-£700
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A BRONZE ANTEFIX
Khmer, Angkor Period, Bayon Style, 13th century
With stylised three-headed naga surrounded by a flaming halo, the engraved decoration very detailed and fine, with rich green patina overall, mounted on a later black pedestal, 11.3cm high.
Provenance: from the collection of The Late Peter Marks (1935-2010), New York;
Acquired by the present vendor from the estate of the above, 2017.
Estimate: £400-£600
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A SOUTH EAST ASIAN BRASS PANDAN BOX
Possibly Thailand or Burma, late 19th – early 20th century
Of typical octagonal shape, with hinged stepped lid, on flat base, the body and lid engraved with bands of floral sprays and vegetal tendrils, 10.3cm x 26cm.
Estimate: £150-£300
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A PAIR OF REPOUSSÉ DEER-SHAPED SILVER BOXES
Possibly Cambodia or Thailand, late 19th century
Shaped as two reclining deer, on flat base, designed in a very realistic style with engraved lines suggesting fur, repoussé decorative motifs on the bodies such as floral spray and flaming medallions on the forehead, 16cm x 14cm.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A PAIR OF ENAMELLED WHITE SAPPHIRE EAR STUDS
North India, late 19th century
Of circular shape, the round diamond-cut white sapphires set on a green and blue enamelled yellow metal base, the back painted in green, white, red and light blue enamels in the form of star-shaped flowers, the post with screwed-in fixtures possibly a later addition, with case, the sapphires 1cm diam.
Estimate: £150-£200
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A PAIR OF ENAMELLED DIAMOND EARRINGS
North India, late 19th – early 20th century
Designed as two hexagonal studs joined to a drop-shaped component, the facet-cut diamonds set in gold with foil backing on flexible chains, enamelled on the reverse in red, light blue and white with floral designs on each setting, the post a later addition, the largest diamond 1cm long and overall earring 3.5cm long.
Estimate: £2,400-£2,600
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A PAIR OF ENAMELLED DIAMOND EARRINGS
North India, late 19th – early 20th century
Designed as two separate decorative elements joined together, the 20th-century top with stylised leaf designs and roundels and the 19th-century ball-shaped bottom with repeated rows of encrusted ovals, both parts with facet-cut diamonds set in gold with foil backing, enamelled on the reverse and at the bottom of the ball in red, white, green and light blue, the post a later addition, 5cm long.
Estimate: £2,600-£2,800
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A GEMSET ENAMELLED GOLD BOX
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, mid 19th century
Of octagonal shape, with faceted domed lid, the eight lateral walls with alternating white and gold grounds with champlevé red, green and blue enamels decoration depicting flowers, foliage and peacocks, framed within two geometric bands in light blue enamel, the base richly ornate with a central dark blue medallion with gold trellis surrounded by a floral band of red flowers and their foliage, the hinged lid with a bud-shaped dark blue finial set with four diamonds rising from a low octagonal step painted in light blue and red enamels, the eight dark blue panels of the lid set with multi-faceted diamonds in simple kundan arranged to form flowers, opposite the hinge a small catch with two gold spheres, the interior enamelled in translucent green over engraved panels, 4.3cm high and 4.2cm diam.
Provenance: UK-based private noble collection since 1960s.
This small enamelled gold box is an exquisite example of 19th-century Jaipur’s enamel tradition. At a time when North India was already under the British rule and contacts with the West became more and more prominent, the Jaipuri craftsmen looked back at the Mughal past and found the inspiration to accomplish enamelled and encrusted works of very high calibre, which both honoured their tradition and introduced fresher designs. As Rita Devi Sharma states, the motif of the peacock is absent from Mughal pieces produced up to the mid-18th century. In the 19th century instead, this motif becomes a favourite in the Jaipuri enamelled arts (Rita Devi Sharma and M. Varadarajan, Les Bijoux Artisanaux Indiens en Émail, 2004, p. 37). The translucent blue, green and red enamels combined with kundan-set faceted diamonds become a manifesto of this later tradition and the interiors of important small objects tend to be enriched with a decorative technique present in several 17th-century royal commissions called partajikam. This consists of covering a chiselled gold surface, mostly worked in the form of thick foliage, with translucent champlevé monochrome enamel, often green (Rita Devi Sharma, p. 32). All of the above-mentioned characteristics are showcased in this octagonal box, making it an important and accomplished example of 19th-century Jaipuri enamel tradition. An almost identical box is part of The Nasser D. Khalili Collection, dated to the mid-19th century. For further reference, please see Pedro Moura Carvalho, Gems and Jewels of Mughal India, 2010, p. 286, fig. 166).
Estimate: £6,000-£8,000
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AN EMERALD NECKLACE WITH OVAL GOLD PENDANT
North India, 20th century
The necklace with a pliable string of emerald beads, secured with a hoop-shaped clasp, the oval pendant set with faceted diamonds and green and red enamels in the form of a flower head and surrounding foliage, the reverse hammered, depicting a bird amongst scrolling tendrils, an emerald bead hanging from the pendant, approximately 38.5cm long when open.
The hammered decoration on the reverse of the pendant is quite peculiar. Indian jewellery is often enamelled on the reverse in order to avoid the constant direct contact of the precious metal with the skin. However, gold hammered clasps and pendants seem to have been quite en vogue in the early and mid-17th century (Manuel Keene, Treasury of the World, 2001, pp. 44 – 49). Perhaps, earlier models inspired the creation of this 20th-century pendant. For a similar composition to our pendant, please see the above-mentioned publication, fig. 3.10.
Estimate: £800-£1,000
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A JEWELLED AND ENAMELLED SPINEL NECKLACE WITH QUATREFOIL PENDANT
North India, late 19th – early 20th century
The necklace with one string of untested oval spinels, the quatrefoil pendant ornate with uneven cut diamonds in kundan setting shaped as three rosettes in the front, the green centre possibly glass, the red background made of tassels of red enamel on foil, the back with champlevé enamelled floral bloom in red, green and blue, a suspended oval spinel at the bottom, 44.5cm long when open.
Estimate: £2,000-£2,200
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A TURQUOISE AND SEED PEARL NECKLACE AND A TURQUOISE BRACELET AND EARRINGS
Possibly Jaipur, North India, 20th century
The necklace designed with one string of pearls doubling in the centre, a fringe of drop-shaped pendants encrusted with turquoises and decorated with suspended pearls and green beads, the back decorated with green, white and red enamels, 47cm long when open; and a set of earrings and bracelet, the main decoration consisting of squares covered in gold foil and encrusted with turquoises in a rosette-like pattern, the back with green, white and red enamels, the bracelet 19cm long when open and the earrings 4.5cm high.
Estimate: £200-£400
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AN ANTIQUE KONAGHEND RUG, EAST CAUCASUS
approx: 5ft.10in. x 4ft.(178cm. x 122cm.)
Classic design for this type with stylised hooked vine and rosettes. In an elegant kufic border between floral, arrow-head and running-dog stripes. Slight wear to the top pile. Very small dot like wear in two corners. Selvages original and rebound, well done. One or two small old repairs on edges, well done. Ends with short fringes, secured. In general tis rug is in good usable condition. Attractive.
Estimate: £500-£800
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A CHINESE CARPET
approx: 11ft.10in. x 9ft.2in.(360cm. x 279cm.)
The sandy-yellow field with floral sprays around central dragon and cloud-band roundel. Similar smaller roundels in an each corner of the field. All surrounded by border of lotus flowerhead, Buddhist motifs and angular vine between Buddhist motifs and cloud-band stripes. Outer plain stripe. This carpet has very slight localized wear to the top pile in few small places, barely visible, otherwise good pile. touches of light discolouration in few places which might imp[rove with light professional cleaning. Ends and selvages original. In general this carpet is in very good usable condition. Attractive and very good furnishing piece.
Estimate: £600-£1,000
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A LONG KHOTAN KELLEH, EAST TURKISTAN
approx: 13ft.3in. x 5ft.5in.(403cm. x 165cm.)
The field with very well drawn angular pomegranate vine. In stylised rosette and angular cloud-band border between, floral vine, hooked motif, zig-zag and barber-pole stripes, slight localized wear mainly on border, touches of wear on the field. Selvages rebound. ends with short kilim. Small scattered old repairs, well blended. Charcoal-brown slightly corroded. In general this carpet is in good usable condition. Sought after type. Attractive.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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AN ANTIQUE KAZAK PRAYER RUG, SOUTH CAUCASUS
approx: 4ft.2in. x 4ft.(127cm. x 122cm.)
The see-green field with various hooked panels and hooked bars, flanked by checkered lozenges and date panels. In diagonal dot baton border between hooked vine and barber-pole stripes. Couple of crease lines with wear to the pile. Selvages and one end original. Other end slightly fraying. In general this rug has good pile and is in good usable condition. Date AH 1312 or 1315 (1894-1897 AD).
Estimate: £500-£800
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A FINE CARPET OF ZIEGLER DESIGN
approx: 11ft.10in. x 9ft.1in.(360cm. x 276cm.)
Very good overall design of bold palmettes, angular floral and leafy vine. In similar design border between floral and plain stripes. Very good colour combination and good pile. Ends and selvages original. Very good condition throughout. Nice furnishing piece.
Estimate: £500-£800
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AN EXTREMELY FINE PART SILK NAIN RUG, CENTRALPERSIA
approx: 5ft.7in. x 3ft.9in.(170cm. x 114cm.)
Very good quality rug with fine wool and touches of silk on field and border design. Extremely fine weave, approx:10 x 9 knot per sq. cm. The pile is full, ends and selvages original. Good colour combination. Tudeshk quality, attractive, ca.1930-40.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A FINE PART SILK KASHAN RUG, CENTRAL PERSIA
approx: 7ft.3in. x 4ft.8in.(221cm. x 142cm.)
Very nicely drawn design with central large human figure surrounded by flowering plants. Multiple floral and leafy vine border. Selvages original. Ends with shot fringes, secured. Very fine weave, approx: 7 x 7 knots per sq. cm; woven on silk foundation. The pile is full, fine kurk quality wool with part silk. In general this rug is in very good condition throughout. Attractive. ca.1920.
Estimate: £2,500-£3,500
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A VERY FINE PART SILK ISFAHAN RUG, CENTRAL PERSIA
approx: 7ft.6in. x 5ft.1in.(228cm. x 155cm.)
Excellent condition throughout, ends and selvages original, very good colour combination and very fine weave, approx; 9 x 9 knots per sq. cm; woven on silk foundation. Very attractive, ca.1950.
Estimate: £600-£1,000
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AN ANTIQUE QASHQAI CARPET, SOUTH-WEST PERSIA
approx: 9ft.3in. x 5ft.11in.(281cm. x 180cm.)
classic design with well drawn motifs. Unusual to have this type in carpet size. Ends and selvages original. This carpet has good pile and is in vey good usable condition. Elegant and lovely furnishing piece.
Estimate: £1,200-£1,600
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AN ANTIQUE CHELABERD RUG, SOUTH CAUCASUS
approx: 7ft.11in. x 3ft.11in.(241cm. x 119cm.)
The field with four stylised bold and hooked medallions, flanked by hooked lozenges. In serrated leaf and glass motif border between zig-zag and barber-pole stripes. Localized wear, down to knot collar. Slightly corroded black. Scattered old repairs & re-piling, well done. Ends with short fringes, secured. Part of guard stripes on ends rewoven, very well done. Selvages rebound. In general this rug is in good usable condition. Attractive.
Estimate: £700-£1,000
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A FINE SIGNED KASHKULI RUNNER, SOUTH-WEST PERSIA
approx: 9ft.10in. x 2ft.11in.(299cm. x 86cm.)
Beautifully design piece with multicoloured floral panels and very good colour combination. Soft wool quality. The pile is full, ends and selvages original. Excellent condition throughout. Attractive and very good furnishing piece. Signature Hosein Zadeh.
Estimate: £900-£1,200
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A FINE PART SILK TABRIZ RUG, NORTH-WEST PERSIA
approx: 6ft.10in. x 5ft.(208cm. x 152cm.)
Excellent condition throughout, classic for this type. This rug has full pile with fine wool quality and part silk. Good colour combination. Fine weave, approx: 7 x 6 knots per sq. cm. Ends and selvages original. Attractive, ca.1960.
Estimate: £350-£550
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A FINE TABRIZ CARPET, NORTH-WEST PERSIA
approx: 9ft.6in. x 6ft.8in.(289cm. x 204cm.)
The ivory field with angular floral meander, animal figures and birds around central large garden design panel flanked by similar smaller rose bouquets panes in an each corner . In palmette and birds border between arabesque and reciprocal stripes. This carpet has good pile. Selvages original. Ends with original kilim and fringes, touches of fraying in few places at one on them. The design is well drawn. Good colour combination. In general this carpet in in very good usable condition. Attractive and very good furnishing piece.
Estimate: £500-£800
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A FINE BIJAR RUG, NORTH-WEST PERSIA
approx: 6ft.11in. x 4ft.7in.(211cm. x 140cm.)
Very good type with lovely design and very good colour combination. Apart of slight localized wear to the pile in couple of small places, barely visible form one end, this rug has good pole and is in very good usable condition. Selvages original, ends with short fringes, secured. Lovely example from Bijar weave. attractive, ca.1920.
Estimate: £700-£1,000
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A VERY FINE ANTIQUE SENNEH-BAF RUG, WEST PERSIA
approx: 6ft.6in. x 4ft.5in.(198cm. x 135cm.)
Good overall design and good colour combination. This rug has good pile. Both ends with very short fringes, secured. Selvages rebound, well done. Fine weave, approx; 9 x 6 knots per sq. cm. In general this rug is in very good usable condition. Attractive.
Estimate: £500-£800
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A FINE TABRIZ CARPET, NORTH-WEST PERSIA
approx: 13ft.2in. x 10ft.(401cm. x 305cm.)Unusual design and good colour combination, well drawn motifs. This carpet has good pile. Selvages and ends original. Finely woven piece, approx: 87 x 7 knots per sq.cm. In general this carpet is in very good condition. This piece would benefit from light pile cleaning to re-fresh colours. Attractive and lovely furnishing piece. ca.1940.
Estimate: £600-£900
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AN ANTIQUE HERIZ RUNNER, NORTH-WEST PERSIA
approx: 14ft.8in. x 3ft.2in.(446cm. x 96cm.)
The shaded rust field with single column of multicoloured hooked and stepped medallions. In hooked panel border between blue floral stripes. tiny wear on the edges, otherwise very good pile and very good usable condition. Selvages original. Ends also original. Good furnishing piece and good size, ca.1900.
Estimate: £1,200-£1,600
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AN EXTREMELY FINE SIGNED SILK QUM CARPET, CENTRAL PERSIA
approx: 10ft.5in. x 6ft.7in.(317cm. x 201cm.)
Beautiful quality carpet with very well drawn design and very good colour combination. Nice soft yellow field and border. This piece has full pile of very soft and lustrous silk. Extremely fine weave, approx: 11 x 11 knots per sq.cm; woven on silk foundation. Ends original with fringes. Selvages original. In general this carpet is in an excellent condition throughout. Very attractive and sought after type at present market. Signature, Iran Qum Ahmadi. Mid-second half 20th century.
Estimate: £3,000-£5,000
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AN ANTIQUE ZIEGLER CARPET, WEST PERSIA
approx: 15ft. x 10ft.8in.(457cm. x 324cm.)
The field with large floral medallion surrounded by leafy sprays and bold palmettes. In broad border of multicoloured palmettes and arabesques between floral and plain stripes. Localized wear in places. Small touches of repiling, well done. Selvages rebound, well done. Ends with short fringe, original. In general this carpet is in good usable condition throughout. Attractive and great furnishing piece. ca.1880.
Estimate: £7,500-£9,500
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A VERY FINE ISFAHAN RUG, CENTRAL PERSIA
approx: 6ft.11in. x 4ft.7in.(211cm. x 140cm.)
The field with floral and leafy vine around floral and arabesque medallion. All surrounded by palmette and floral meander border between floral and arrow-head stripes. This rug has good pile. Ends original. Selvages rebound, well done. Very fine weave, approx: 8 x 8 knots per sq. cm. attractive and good furnishing piece.
Estimate: £500-£800
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A FINE ANTIQUE KIRMAN LAVER RUG, SOUTH PERSIA
approx: 6ft.8in. x 4ft.(204cm. x 122cm.)
Unusual design for this size,. Well drawn motifs. this rug has light localized wear to the top pile, tiny old repair on the edge of pone border not visible on the top. In general this rug is in very good usable condition. Attractive piece.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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AN EXTREMELY FINE ANTIQUE SILK TABRIZ RUG, NORTH-WEST PERSIA
approx: 4ft.1in. x 2tf.1in.(124cm. x 63cm.)
Very well drawn floral vase design, soft colours. Apart of tiny touches of slight wear to the top pile in one or two places this rug has full pile and is in very good condition. Salvages original. Ends with short fringes, secured. Extremely fine weave approx: 10 x 10 knots per sq. cm; woven on silk foundation. Excellent example for this type. Seldom found type with such a fine weave. Attractive. ca.1900
Estimate: £2,200-£2,600
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A FINE SAFREH, SOUTH-WEST PERSIA
approx: 4ft.6in. x 4ft.8in.(137cm. x 142cm.)
Stylised abstract zig-zag design with very good colours. Ends and selvages original. Very good condition throughout. Attractive piece. Ca.1940
Estimate: £550-£750
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AN EXTREMELY FINE ANTIQUE SILK HERIZ LARGE RUG, NORTH-WEST PERSIA
approx: 7ft.9in. x 5ft.4in.(236cm. x 163cm.)
Very good colour combination and very well drawn design with good details. Fine silk quality, soft and lustrous. Extremely fine weave, approx: 8 x 8 knots per sq.cm. woven on silk foundation. Ends with original kilim and fringes. Selvages also original. Apart of tiny wear to the top pile in few very small places, barely visible. This rug is in very good condition throughout. Attractive and sought after type on the market.
Estimate: £20,000-£30,000
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AN ANTIQUE BAKSHAISH RUG, NORTH-WEST PERSIA
approx: 6ft.7in. x 4ft.7in.(201cm. x 140cm.)
Bold design and good colour combination. this rug has slight wear to the top pile. ends with short fringes, secured. Selvages original. In general this piece is in good usable condition. Attractive and good furnishing rug.
Estimate: £700-£1,000
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A VERY FINE KASHAN PRAYER RUG, CENTRAL PERSIA
approx: 6ft.9in. x 4ft.4in.(206cm. x 132cm.)
Very good colour combination with camel-beige field. Floral motifs are very well drawn. This rug has good pile. Tiny old repair on the field. Selvages rebound, well done. Ends with short fringes. Fine weave, approx: 8 x 7 knots per sq.cm. In general good usable condition throughout. Elegant piece.
Estimate: £600-£900
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A VERY FINE NAIN CARPET, CENTRAL PERSIA
approx: 10ft.6in. x 7ft.1in.(320cm. x 7ft.1in.)
This carpet has full pile, vey nice drawing and lots of different details. Tudeshk quality. Very good colour combination. Fine weave, approx: 7 x 6 knots per sq. cm. Few dirt marks, barely visible. Otherwise this carpet is in very god condition. Attractive.
Estimate: £1,500-£2,000
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AN ANTIQUE TEHRAN CARPET, NORTH PERSIA
approx: 10ft.6in. x 7ft.3in.(320cm. x 221cm.)
Very good overall design, unusual for this type. Well drawn design and good colour combination. Apart of slight localized wear to the top pile, this carpet has good pile and is in very good usable condition. Fine weave, approx: 6 x 6 knots per sq. cm. Ends with short fringes. secured. Selvages rebound, well done. Attractive.
Estimate: £1,500-£2,000
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A FINE SILK KASHAN RUG, CENTRAL PERSIA
approx: 7ft.1in. x 4ft.4in.(215cm. x 132cm.)
Good colour combination and well drawn design. This rug has full pile. fine weave approx: 7 x 7 knot per sq. cm; woven on silk foundation. selvages original. Slight localized fraying at one end. Other end with fringes, secured. In general this rug is in good usable condition.
Estimate: £600-£900
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AN ANTIQUE PANDORMA RUG, TURKEY
approx: 6ft. x 4ft.(183cm. x 122cm.)
Very well drawn design with trees, Serpents and birds. All surrounded by bold palmette and animals border between floral and ribbon stripes. Slight wear to the top pile, down to knot collar in places. Ends and selvages original. In general, this rug is in very good usable condition. Attractive piece.
Estimate: £800-£1,200
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AN EXTREMELY FINE, SIGNED ISFAHAN RUG, CENTRAL PERSIA
approx: 7ft.10in. x 5ft.(238cm. x 152cm.)
Beautiful quality, very fine kurk wool, soft and lustrous. This rug has full pile. design is very well drawn. Good colour combination with light blue field. Both ends with kilim and fringes, one with signature, Iran, Isfahan Seyyed Hossein Sahl-Abadi. Selvages original. Extremely fine weave, approx: 10 x 10 knots per sq. cm; woven on silk foundation. In general this rug is in very good condition throughout.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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A FINE UNUSUAL BOKHARA CARPET, EAST TURKMENISTAN
approx: 9ft.8in. x 7ft.7in.(294cm. x 231cm.)
Nice overall design with kepse guls, more associated with Yomut type. This carpet has good pile. Classic colours. Nice skirt at each end. Selvages rebound, well done. Ends original. In general very good condition throughout.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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AN ANTIQUE AKSTAFA RUG, SOUTH CAUCASUS
approx: 7ft.8in. x 3ft.11in.(234cm. x 119cm.)
The blue field with three hooked medallions, flanked by stylised birds and various small motifs. In an ivory border of hooked leaves between s-motif and barber-pole stripes. this piece has slight localized wear to the pile, down to knot collar in places. Black is slightly corroded. Small holes on the border end and side. One or two small old repairs and small moth damage to the pile in couple of small places. Selvages fraying. One end original, the other none slightly fraying. Popular type with bold elegant design.
Estimate: £300-£500
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A FINE INDIAN TEXTILE
approx 5ft.8in. x 5ft.8in.(173cm. x 173cm.)
Very good colour combination and very well drawn design with initial and crown motifs in an each inner corner. This textile in very good condition throughout. Good square size. Very attractive and striking piece.
Estimate: £1,500-£2,000
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A PAIR OF ANTIQUE ASMALYK RUGS, EAST TURKMENISTAN
approx: each, 2ft.2in. x 4ft.2in.(66cm. x 127cm.)
Classic for this type with well drawn design and good colour combination. Each piece has good pile and are in very good usable condition throughout. Selvages original with attached decorative braided cord on sides and ends. Very good condition. Attractive
Estimate: £500-£800
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A FINE ANTIQUE KIRMAN LAVER PRAYER RUG, SOUTH PERSIA
approx: 6ft.8in. x 4ft.5in.(204cm. x 135cm.)
Very nicely drawn design, bold appearance. Very good colour combination. This rug has full pile, soft wool quality. Ends with short fringes. secured. Selvages original. Fine weave, approx, 6 x 6 knots per sq. cm. In general this rug is in very good condition. Attractive piece.
Estimate: £2,500-£3,000
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A FINE ANTIQUE ISFAHAN CARPET, CENTRAL PERSIA
approx: 10ft.8in. x 6ft.9in.(324cm. x 206cm.)
Vey good design and good colour combination. This carpet has full pile, very good wool quality. Selvages rebound, well done. Ends with short fringes, secured. Fine weave, approx: 6 x 7 knots per sq. cm. Very good condition throughout. Attractive and nice furnishing piece.
Estimate: £2,000-£3,000
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A FINE KARABAGH RUNNER, SOUTH CAUCASUS
approx: 16ft.9in. x 3ft.7in.(510cm. x 109cm.)
Very good design and lovely colours., unusual for this type. this piece has good pile. Ends with short fringes, secured. Selvages original. Very good size, woven on wool warps. Nice furnishing piece.
Estimate: £1,200-£1,600
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AN ANTIQUE BAKSHAISH CARPET, NORTH-WEST PERSIA
approx: 17ft.2in. x 11ft.1in.(523cm. x 337cm.)
Excellent bold design. Good type, sought after on the market. This carpet has slight localized wear, down to knot collar in places. Ends with short fringes, secured. Selvages original. Good colour combination. In general this carpet is in very good usable condition. Excellent furnishing piece. Attractive.
Estimate: £8,000-£12,000
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A FINE UNUSUAL CHINESE CARPET
approx: 10ft.6in. x 5ft.9in.(320cm. x 175cm.)
Very good drawing with two central dragons and cloud-bands. All surrounded by wave and cloud-band border. This piece has full pile. Very fine and soft wool. touches of discolouraction in fe places on edges, barely visible. In general, very good usable condition throughout . Attractive.
Estimate: £2,000-£3,000
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AN ANTIQUE KALAMKARI, CENTRAL PERSIA
approx: 8ft.11in. x 4ft.4in.(271cm. x 130cm.)
Very good example for this type with nicely drawn design. Very good colour combination and good details . Ends and sides secured. This piece is backed as well. Despite very slight discolouration at one end this piece is in very good usable condition. Attractive.
Estimate: £1,200-£1,600
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AN ANTIQUE TEHRAN PRAYER RUG, NORTH PERSIA
approx: 6ft.10in. x 4ft.7in.(208cm. x 140cm.)
Very well drawn design with good details. Colours are well blended. This rug has full pile, kurk wool quality. ends and selvages secured. Very finely woven piece, approx; 7 x 7 knot per sq. cm. in general this piece is in very good condition throughout. Very attractive piece.
Estimate: £2,000-£2,500
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AN INCREDIBLY FINE CHINESE SILK RUG
approx: 3ft. x 3ft.(91cm. x 91cm.)
Fantastic quality weave, seldom found in the market. Incredible knot count, approx: 15 x 15 knots per sq. cm. woven on silk foundation. This rug has full pile of very soft silk and is in an excellent condition throughout.
Estimate: £2,500-£3,000
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AN EXTREMELY FINE SILK QUM CARPET, CENTRAL PERSIA
approx: 13ft.2in. x 9ft.10in.(401cm. x 299cm.)
Very good design and well drawn details. Fine silk quality. Extremely fine weave, approx: 10 x 10 knots per sq. cm; woven on silk foundation. This carpet has full pile, apart from touches of discolouration, which professional cleaning might improve, this carpet is in very good usable condition. Sought after type on the market. This carpet would greatly benefit from light professional cleaning to refresh colours.
Estimate: £5,500-£7,500
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A VERY FINE ANTIQUE SILK FERAGHAN RUG, WEST PERSIA
approx: 7ft.4in. x 4ft.4in.(224cm. x 132cm.)
An excellent example for this group, seldom found woven in silk pile on silk foundation. Lovely colours and vey well drawn design. This rug has full pile with soft and shiny silk. Very finely woven piece, approx: 8 x 8 knots per sq. cm. Selvages original. Ends with short fringes, secured. Very attractive and great furnishing piece. ca.1880.
Estimate: £9,500-£12,000
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A FINE TEKKE BOKHARA CARPET, EAST TURKMENISTAN
approx: 8ft.11in. x 7ft.5in.(271cm. x 226cm.)
Classic design for this type with linked columns of stylised floral guls. Apart of touches of wear in one corner this carpet has full pile, fine wool quality. In general very good condition throughout. good square size. Elegant piece.
Estimate: £2,000-£2,500
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AN ANTIQUE SIGNED KALAMKARI, CENTRAL PERSIA
approx: 9ft. x 2ft.2in.(274cm. x 66cm.)
Very nicely drawn design and very good colour combination. This piece is in very good usable condition throughout it’s backed as well. Signature, Ya Aba Abdallah Al-Hosein. Attractive.
Estimate: £1,000-£1,500
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AN EXTREMELY FINE SIGNED PART SILK NAIN CARPET, CENTRAL PERSIA
approx: 9ft.9in. x 6ft.8in.(296cm. x 204cm.)
Excellent condition throughout. Full pile of very soft kurk wool and part silk. Very good colour combination. Extremely fine weave, approx: 10 x 10 knots per sq. cm. Attractive and great furnishing piece. Signature, Iran, Nain Habibian.
Estimate: £3,000-£4,000
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AN EXTREMELY FINEN SIGNED SILK KASHAN CARPET, CENTRAL PERSIA
approx; 11ft.5in. x 8ft.1in.(347cm. x 246cm.)
The ivory field with scrolling palmette and leafy vine around floral and arabesque central medallion. In eau-de-Nile flowering vine border between floral stripes. Very good colour combination and well drawn design. This carpet has full pile of soft and lustrous silk. Extremely fine weave, approx: 10 x 10 knots per sq. cm; woven on silk foundation. Ends and selvages original. Excellent condition throughout. Attractive piece. Signature, Kashan Amin.
Estimate: £2,500-£3,500
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