Underglaze Blue Calligraphic Bowl - LO.754, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 1850 AD to 1920 AD, Dimensions: 2.5" (6.4cm) high x 3.375" (8.6cm) depth, Collection: Islamic Art,  More »

Underglaze Blue Calligraphic Bowl - LO.754, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 1850 AD to 1920 AD, Dimensions: 2.5" (6.4cm) high x 3.375" (8.6cm) depth, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Islamic, Medium: Glazed Earthenware. The round deep bowl with curved flaring sides, the interior painted in underglaze cobalt blue, coated with transparent glaze and painted over in turquoise blue over the rim and in the central foliated cavetto. A cursorily drawn script is also featured on the outside.   « Less

Polychrome Glazed Dish - LO.755, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 1100 AD to 1600 AD, Dimensions: 8" (20.3cm) depth, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Islamic, Medium: Glazed  More »

Polychrome Glazed Dish - LO.755, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 1100 AD to 1600 AD, Dimensions: 8" (20.3cm) depth, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Islamic, Medium: Glazed Earthenware.   « Less

Blue-Glazed Dish - LO.758, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 12 th Century AD to 13 th Century AD, Dimensions: 2.125" (5.4cm) high x 8" (20.3cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art,  More »

Blue-Glazed Dish - LO.758, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 12 th Century AD to 13 th Century AD, Dimensions: 2.125" (5.4cm) high x 8" (20.3cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Islamic, Medium: White Fritware. Small dish made of composite fritware with everted flattened rim, covered on both sides with a turquoise blue glaze which stops short of the foot-ring. Inside the dcoration is painted under the glaze including three pairs of lines radiating from an imaginary centre and located on the flattened rim only. Although a large number of underglazed painted vessels is known, very few can be said to have been painted with a brush. A comparable example is in the Khalili Collection, see Morgan in Grube, Cobalt and Lustre. The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art,1995: no.350, pp.308- 309.   « Less

Turquoise Pottery Ewer - LO.759, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 12 th Century AD to 13 th Century AD, Dimensions: 9.6" (24.4cm) high x 6.3" (16.0cm) wide, Collection: Islamic  More »

Turquoise Pottery Ewer - LO.759, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 12 th Century AD to 13 th Century AD, Dimensions: 9.6" (24.4cm) high x 6.3" (16.0cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Islamic, Medium: Glazed Earthenware.   « Less

Terracotta Ewer - LO.840, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 900 AD to 1200 AD, Dimensions: 11" (27.9cm) high x 7.8" (19.8cm) wide, Collection: Near Eastern, Style: Early Islamic,  More »

Terracotta Ewer - LO.840, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 900 AD to 1200 AD, Dimensions: 11" (27.9cm) high x 7.8" (19.8cm) wide, Collection: Near Eastern, Style: Early Islamic, Medium: Terracotta. The oblong unglazed body richly decorated with applied roundels and tear-shaped plaques against a stamped background. Elongated upright spout and neck again featuring applied ceramic round shells. The body material, shapes and decorations of unglazed wares hardly changed over the centuries and seem to present features which were found over large areas, from Syria to Iran and Afghanistan.   « Less

Bronze Jug with Incised Calligraphy - LO.841, Origin: Syria or Central Asia, Circa: 800 AD to 1000 AD, Dimensions: 6.1" (15.5cm) high x 6.3" (16.0cm) wide, Collection:  More »

Bronze Jug with Incised Calligraphy - LO.841, Origin: Syria or Central Asia, Circa: 800 AD to 1000 AD, Dimensions: 6.1" (15.5cm) high x 6.3" (16.0cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Islamic, Medium: Bronze. Globular jug with strap handle , the surface covered with incised calligraphy.   « Less

Copper Alloy Inkwell (Mihbara) - LO.850, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 11 th Century AD to 12 th Century AD, Dimensions: 5" (12.7cm) high x 3.94" (10.0cm) wide, Collection:  More »

Copper Alloy Inkwell (Mihbara) - LO.850, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 11 th Century AD to 12 th Century AD, Dimensions: 5" (12.7cm) high x 3.94" (10.0cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Seljuk, Medium: Bronze. Most of the early Islamic metalwork was cast in bronze, or more precisely quartenary bronze, or brass with an addition of lead and tin, then the decoration was either cast, pierced or engraved, a manner particularly followed during the 12th century, when Islamic metalworkers achieved an international reputation, embellishing their works with both Kufi and Kaskh inscriptions that often expressed good wishes for owner, arabesques and friezes with animals and human figures. Although small bronze inkwell were used by the Romans, glass ones were preferred in early Islamic times. Large metal inkwell emerged during the 11th century and this particular typology became standard in Mesopotamia and Persia during the 12th century. Two types of ink were used in medieval Islam, one a soluble solid with a soot base known as midad, the other a liquid mixture of gallnuts and vitriol called hibr. Inkwells such as this were intended for the latter ink, hence their name mihbara. They commonly held a liq or piece of ink-soaked felt or wool and were also provided with an inner horizontal rim to prevent spilling. Three cords fastened to loop handles on the body and passing through loops on the lid allowed the object to be safely carried about. Similar inkwells are known signed by craftsmen from Nishapur and Herat.   « Less

Aquamanile in the Shape of a Bird - LO.852, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 700 AD to 900 AD, Dimensions: 11.5" (29.2cm) high x 12.5" (31.8cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art,  More »

Aquamanile in the Shape of a Bird - LO.852, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 700 AD to 900 AD, Dimensions: 11.5" (29.2cm) high x 12.5" (31.8cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Early Islamic, Medium: Red Earthenware.   « Less

Copper Alloy Engraved Tray - LO.862, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 1100 AD to 1200 AD, Dimensions: 10.2" (25.9cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Islamic, Medium:  More »

Copper Alloy Engraved Tray - LO.862, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 1100 AD to 1200 AD, Dimensions: 10.2" (25.9cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Islamic, Medium: Quarternary Bronze. Medium sized dish with everted inward rim, the exterior left bare with a central knob, the interior engraved with concentric bands including medallions with foliage scrolls interspersed by cursive scripts, and a central depiction on the cavetto of a buraq.   « Less

Copper Alloy Engraved Basin - LO.863, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 1100 AD to 1200 AD, Dimensions: 9" (22.9cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Burak, Medium:  More »

Copper Alloy Engraved Basin - LO.863, Origin: Central Asia, Circa: 1100 AD to 1200 AD, Dimensions: 9" (22.9cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Style: Burak, Medium: Quarternary Bronze. In the Islamic tradition, the buraq was a creature said to have transported the Prophet Muhammad to heaven. Described as a white animal, half- mule, half-donkey, with wings on its sides, Buraq was originally introduced into the story of Muhammad's night journey (isra') from Mecca to Jerusalem and back, thus explaining how the journey between the cities could have been completed in a single night. Sometimes mistakenly described as Muhammad's horse, the buraq was a creature described as being part eagle and horse, thus resembling a pegasus. An excerpt from a Sahih Muslim hadith describes a buraq:"I was brought by the Buraq, which is an animal white and long, larger than a donkey but smaller than a mule, who would place its hoof at a distance equal to the range of vision." In literature and art, often portrayed with the face of a woman and the tail of a peacock, the buraq is mostly visible in the sacred manuscripts, where the creativity of the artist was less hampered by religious restrictions. In both a leaf from a copy of the Bustan of Sacdi dated 1514 originally from Uzbekistan and now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), and a 16th Century manuscript of Khamsa of Nizami in the British Library (London), narrating the Mi'raj, or ascension of the Prophet, Muhammad is depicted on his steed, the buraq. The artist has painted the legendary creature prancing forward as about to take a leap into the Seven Heavens, her human face depicted frontally. Comparable anthropoid depictions of the buraq are known also from many engraved metal vessels such as this basin, dating to the Seljuq period.   « Less