Bidspirit auction | LARGE GROUP OF METALWORK
LARGE GROUP OF METALWORK - Ca. 9th - 10th century AD; Ca. 9th - 10th century AD; Ca. 12th - 13th century AD; Ca. 17th century AD; Ca. 17th - 18th century AD; Ca. 18th century AD. A large group of metalwork, including an Indian brass bottle with a screw top, two Fatimid bronze sprinkler bottles of footed globular form, the neck decorated with six knobs, one with an inner base missing, a Khorassan spouted jug with copper inlay, of bottle form, with a lamp-shaped spout with a lion-faced hinged lid, complete with its handle. The jug has incised decoration with two panels engraved with animals, two rounded with birds, and three panels of calligraphy, one inlaid with copper, with a bell or mihrab-shaped lozenge surrounded by a copper inlay. Also included are two bronze candlestick tops, two shallow bronze dishes, one of which is decorated with four panels of calligraphy, four silver-inlaid crescent moons, and a central arabesque knot with six floral panels on the rim. The outer edge is adorned with six panels of calligraphy and has an old collection label marked 'R.s 21'. The second dish is engraved with a central roundel showing a winged horse against floral arabesques, surrounded by four panels of calligraphy and four roundels, with the edge separated by six panels of calligraphy and six roundels, and the side with five panels of calligraphy and five roundels. A shallow bronze dish stands on three feet, with the upper rim decorated with nine circular stamps and traces of calligraphy, now illegible, and the outer rim decorated with six panels engraved with animals, some retaining traces of inlaid silver wire. Additionally, there is an Islamic brass bottle with oxidised silver inlay, decorated with horizontal bands and vertical stripes of inlaid floral decoration. A Seljuk brass dish of scalloped form, decorated with engraved Kufic inscriptions and arabesque panels around a central geometric knot with eight lobes, is also included. This type of scalloped dish is evidence of the origin of the shapes of later Chinese celadon ware. An Islamic brass stand of octagonal form stands on eight attached feet, decorated with repoussé ovals between the feet, four with calligraphy and four with floral and geometric decoration above. The size is 30 cm in width, including feet, by 6.5 cm in height, with a diameter of 16.5 cm. Finally, an early Islamic cup, made of brass with high copper content, is circular with a lead-shaped handle engraved with a bird, and the outer rim is engraved with a rope pattern, with the base curiously ‘scratched’ with a spiralling ‘movement’ of hatching. Size: 490-560mm x 375-450mm; Weight: 9.2kg Provenance: Previous property of an Islamic art professional, previously apart of the Henri René d’Allemagne Collection, 1979. Acquired by Ahuan U.K Ltd. from M. Roderick d’Allemagne, grandson of Henri René d’Allemagne (1836 - 1950.) This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.