ISLAMIC ART AUCTION 5 JULY 2022
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ISLAMIC ART AUCTION 5 JULY 2022 Oriental Art Auctions Warmtekrachtstraat 2 8094 SE Hattemerbroek The Netherlands tel: +31- (0)38-3380783 info@orientalartauctions.com www.orientalartauctions.com CoC. 66070651 VAT no. NL856383405B01
ONLINE AUCTION Auction date: Viewing dates:
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Tuesday 5 July 2022, start time 12:00 CEST Wednesday 29 June until Monday 4 July 2022 From 11:00 to 17:00 CEST
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A Lot 1 __________________________________
Lot 4 ___________________________________________________
A LARGE QURAN LEAVE IN BIHARI SCRIPT, INDIA, SULTANATE CIRCA 16TH CENTURY
A LARGE QURAN FOLIO, MAMLUK PERIOD, 14TH-15TH CENTURY
Arabic manuscript on paper, opening folio of surah Al-Mulk, the Basmallah and the first verse written in large elegant gilt thuluth script outlined in black, reserved in clouds on a gilt and richly decorated ground. 50 by 34.5 cm.
Arabic manuscript on paper, one leaf: 15 lines to the page, written in thuluth-style, Al-Mumenoon vv.75-83 and 66-74. One blue tear drop-shaped verse marker in the margin; verses separated by gold and blue rosettes. 46 by 29 cm.
Estimate € 3000 - € 5000
Estimate € 500 - € 700 Lot 2 __________________________________
QURAN 7TH JU, SULTANATE INDIA, CIRCA 1500
Arabic manuscript on paper, 21 leaves, each folio with 13 lines, written in bold black Bihari script, the bismallah in muhaqqaq script. The word ‘Allah’ in gold outlined in black, gold rosette verse markers pointed in blue dots, ruled in blue and red border. Polychrome and gold marginal medallions indicating ‘Juz’ and Hezb’, occasional marginal notes in Persian nastaliq script. Quran 8 surah Al-Ma’idah v.116-v.120 and Quran 7 surah Al-An’am. v.1-v.120. 28.5 by 40 cm. Estimate € 800 - € 1200
Lot 3 __________________________________
TWO MAMLUK QURAN FOLIOS, MAMLUK PERIOD, 14TH-15TH CENTURY
Arabic manuscript on paper, each page with 6 ll, written in large elegant gilt Muhaqqaq script and outlined in black, gold rosettes between verses. Quran 27 surah AL-Naml v.19-v.23 29.5 by 20 cm. Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
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Lot 5 _______________________________________________________________________________
A QURAN IN MAGHRIBI SCRIPT, NORTH AFRICA, DATED 1010 AH/1601 AD
A complete Quran, Arabic manuscript on cream paper, each page with 19 lines written in brown Maghribi script, tajwid in red with polychrome roundel verse markers. Surah headings in large gilt maghribi script outlined in brown, gold and polychrome marginal floral motifs indicating the ‘Juz’. Opening folio with polychrome decoration framing 9 lines. Final folio signed by Ahmed ibn Mousa ibn Aisa ibn Ahmed ibn Ali Al-Sharrif AL-Washirshi and dated 1010 AH/1601 AD. In black morocco binding with flap decorated with gold outlined central medallion. 15 by 20 cm.
Estimate € 5000 - € 8000
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Lot 6 _______________________________
MUHAMMAD BIN SULAYMAN AL-JAZULI (D.1465 AD) DALA’IL AL-KHAYRAT 18TH CENTURY
Al-Jazuli’s renowned work in praise of the Prophet Muhammad, Arabic manuscript on paper, each folio with 10ll. written in bold sepia maghribi, titles in bold gold and polychrome maghribi within illuminated cartouches, important words such as Allah and Muhammad in blue or red, text within blue and red rules, catchwords, two contemporaneous illustrations of the minbar of the Prophet and the tombs of the first Caliphs, copious added notes, in red morocco binding with gilt highlights. 12 by 12 cm
Estimate € 4000 - € 6000
Lot 8 _______________________________________________________________________________
AN ILLUMINATED COLLECTION OF PRAYERS, INCLUDING DALA’IL AL-KHAYRAT, MOROCCO, DATED 1196 AH/1685 AD
Arabic decorated manuscript on paper, 222 leaves, four sections, started with the genealogy of the prophet tree ten panels illuminated in Maghribi script in red and turquoise and gold, then Dalai al-khayrat with ten phrases in red, blue and gold. Third section is huzza al Akbar imam iben al Hasan al Shazli. Fourth section with two qassida. First one qassida ‘al burda to Muhammad al busairi’ The second ‘Um Hani to Hind daughter of Abu Talib’. 9.5 by 9.5 cm.
Estimate € 4000 - € 6000
Lot 9 _______________________________
TWELVE SAFAVID QURAN PAGES, PERSIA, 16TH CENTURY Lot 7 ____________________________________________________________________________
A SMALL ILLUMINATED QURAN WRITTEN IN MAGHRIBI SCRIPT, NORTH AFRICA PROBABLY MOROCCO, DATED 1273 AH/1856 AD
Arabic manuscript on paper, 260 leaves, 13 lines to the page written in minute Maghribi script in black ink with diacritics and vowel points in blue and red. In brown morocco binding. 13 by 12.5 cm.
Twelve Leaves from a monumental Safavid Quran, in Arabic, Illuminated manuscript on paper. Surah Al-Anbiyaa with beautiful blue and gold decorated beginning of surah. 36 by 24 cm. each. Estimate € 600 - € 800
Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
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Lot 10 _______________________________
AN ILLUMINATED OTTOMAN QURAN A complete Quran, Arabic manuscript on cream paper, each page with 15 lines written in black naskh script within gold and black rules, gold roundel verse markers. Surah headings in white thuluth script on a gilt ground, gold and polychrome marginal floral motifs. Two opening folio heavily with gilt and polychrome decoration framing 7 lines of black naskh script Final folio with gilt and polychrome decoration. In red morocco binding with flap decorated with gold painted dots and floral motifs. 16 by 24 cm. Lot 11 _______________________________
Estimate € 2500 - € 3000
AN ILLUMINATED QURAN
Copied by Muhammad Al-Naeli, known as Hafiz Al-Quran Ottoman Turkey, dated 1293 AH/11878 AD Arabic manuscript on paper, 298 leaves, 15 lines to the page written in naskhi script in black ink with diacritics and vowel points in red and black, gold discs decorated with blue and red dots between verses, margins ruled in red and gold, catchwords, illuminated devices in outer margins, sura headings written in thuluth in white on illuminated rectangular panels, two illuminated double-page frontispiece Brown morocco with stamped central medallions, corner-pieces and outer bands of gilt paper onlay, with flap. 15 by 10.5 cm.
Lot 12 ___________________________________________________________________________________
AN ILLUMINATED OTTOMAN QURAN BY ALI ALWAHBI (ALVAHBI)
A complete Quran, Arabic manuscript on cream paper, 302 leaves with 2 fly-leaves, each page with 15 lines written in black naskh script, tajwid in red within gold and black rules, gold roundel verse markers. Surah headings on a gilt ground within a decorated panel, gold and polychrome marginal floral motifs indicating the “Juz”. Two opening folio heavily with gilt and polychrome decoration framing 7 lines of black naskh script in clouds reserved against a pricked gold ground. Final folio signed by ‘writtern by Ali alvahbi bin Hussain Al-salwa student of Mustafa al-Sudqi Al-salwa on a gilt and polychrome decorated ground. In brown morocco binding with flap decorated with gold painted central medallion. 11.5 by 16 cm. Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
Estimate € 3000 - € 5000
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Lot 14 _________________________________________________________________________________
A PAIR OF OTTOMAN CALLIGRAPHIC PANELS, 19TH CENTURY
Arabic manuscript on paper, each page consisting of a two lines written in thuluth script in black ink, with gold roundels marking the verse-endings, interlinear rules in gold, inner margins ruled in gold, black and red, brown and marbled inner borders. Respectively, gold-sprinkled outer borders, mounted together. Text: 30 by 20 cm. Page: 40 by 25 cm. Estimate € 2000 - € 3000 Lot 13 _________________________________________________________________________________
A SMALL ILLUMINATED QURAN, OTTOMAN TURKEY, DATED 22ND SHA’BAN 1249/4TH JANUARY 1834
An Arabic and Ottoman Turkish manuscript on pink-colored paper, 298 leaves, 15 lines to the page written in Naskhi script in black ink with diacritics and vowel points in red and black, gold discs decorated with blue and red dots between verses, margins ruled in red and gold, catchwords, illuminated devices in outer margins, surah headings written in Thuluth in white on illuminated rectangular panels, one illuminated double-page frontispiece and one illuminated single-page finispiece in colors and gold, Nazm Sajavandi written in verse in Ottoman Turkish at end, some inner margins crudely repaired towards the end, discoloration, some folios creased, brown morocco with stamped central medallions, cornerpieces and outer bands of gilt paper onlay, with flap, rebacked. 12.6 by 9.8 cm. Estimate € 2500 - € 3000
Lot 15 ________________________________________
A PERSIAN CALLIGRAPHIC PANEL, SIGNED ASADULLAH AL-SHIRAZI, QAJAR, PERSIA, DATED 1257 AH/1841 AD
Ink, gouache and gold on paper pasted on a cardboard page, four in Persian, in Nastaliq, in reserve in clouds on a gold background garnished with foliage. Was pasted onto a folio and decorated with several borders of lavish illumination. The writing itself is surrounded with cloud-like bubbles, around which miniature irises, lilies, and other plants bloom. Text: 25 by 17.5 cm. Panel: 42.5 by 28.5 cm. CATALOGUE NOTE Asadullah al-Shirazi was one of the outstanding calligraphers of the reigns of Fath ‘Ali Shah, Muhammad Shah and Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar. He was particularly admired by Muhammad Shah Qajar who awarded him the title ‘Royal Calligrapher’ (katib-i sultani). His recorded works are dated between AH 1252 and 1306/1836 and 1888 AD (Bayani, 1363 sh., vol.1, pp.60-64).
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Estimate € 3000 - € 4000
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Lot 16 ___________________________________________________________________________________
Lot 17 ___________________________________________________________________________________
Ink, gouache and gold on paper pasted on a cardboard page, four in Persian, in nastaliq, in reserve in clouds on a gold background garnished with foliage, was pasted onto a folio and decorated with several borders of lavish illumination. The writing itself is surrounded with cloudlike bubbles, around which miniature irises, lilies, and other plants bloom. Text: 33 by 21.5 cm. Page: 40 by 27 cm.
A standing portrait of a youth holding a pomegranate in his left hand and a bottle in his right hand. Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, gold and polychrome rules, on wide blue margins illuminated with gold foliage. Folio: 29 by 18 cm.
A CALLIGRAPHIC ALBUM PAGE BY MIR ‘ALI AL-HARAWI (AL-KATIB AL-SULTANI), SAFAVID, PERSIA, 16TH CENTURY
A CALLIGRAPHIC ALBUM PAGE BY YARI HERAVI, SAFAVID, PERSIA, 17TH CENTURY
Estimate € 3000 - € 4000
CATALOGUE NOTE Mir ‘Ali al-Harawi is the well-known and celebrated nastaliq calligrapher of Herat under the Timurids and then the Safavids. He studied in this city and spent most of his life working as a scribe of firmans and then at the Royal Library of the Timurid Sultan Husayn Bayqara, from whom he received the title Sultani. After the death of the Sultan in AH 911/1505 AD, he moved from Herat to Mashhad but later returned to Herat. After the capture of the town by the Safavid ruler Shah Isma’il, Mir ‘Ali worked under the patronage of Khaja Karim al-Din Habibullah Savaji, the Minister to the Governor of Khurasan, Sam Mirza, a brother of Shah Tahmasp. Later he was taken to Bukhara together with other artists after the capture of the city by the Uzbek ruler ‘Ubayd Khan in AH 935/1529 AD. His recorded works are dated between AH 914/1508-09 AD and AH 951/1544-45 AD (M. Bayani, Ahval va-Asar-e Khoshnevisan, vol. II, Tehran, 1988, p. 494). Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
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Lot 18 __________________________________
A CALLIGRAPHIC ALBUM PAGE, SAFAVID PERSIA, 16TH CENTURY Ink, gouache and gold on paper pasted on a cardboard page, four in Persian, in Nastaliq, in reserve in clouds on a gold background garnished with foliage. Text: 21 by 14 cm. Page: 34 by 23 cm.
Estimate € 1000 - € 1400
Lot 19 ___________________________________________
SA’ADI AND THE WISE MEN, PROBABLY FROM THE BUSTAN’E SA’ADI, SAFAVID, PERSIA, LATE 16TH CENTURY Sa’adi and the wise men, probably from the Bustan’e
Sa’adi, with a frontispiece decoration to the reverse, illuminated miniature on polished paper,single leaf, ink and gouache on paper heightened in gilt, depicting a king seated on a throne, with courtiers in waiting, in a palace garden with blossoming trees and wildlife around them, small lake with two swans in the foreground heightened in silver (now oxidized), image with striking blue borders extending outwards into the wider margins, reverse with elaborate gilt and polychrome decoration, once acting as a frontispiece to text, all illumination and decoration. Painting: 24.5 by 16 cm.
Lot 20 _________________________________________________________________________________
DARA SHIKOH VISITING A HERMIT, MUGHAL INDIA, CIRCA 1790
Gouache heightened with gold on paper, with sumptuously dressed prince with green halo accompanied by attendants and courtiers, facing a white robed hermit seated in front of his abode, with other guests preparing and consuming refreshments, foreground with lake containing lotus flowers and leaves and miniature birds, background with dense forest and red tinted sky, laid down on gold and polychrome decorated margin, glazed and framed. 24.2 by 16.7 cm. Dara Shikoh (1615-1659) was the eldest and favourite son of Shah Jahan, who ultimately was defeated in the wars of succession by his brother Aurangzeb. Dara Shikoh was intensely interested in spiritual matters of both Hindu and Islamic origins. Eventually he was executed as a heretic by Aurangzeb. (E. Kostioukovitch (ed.), The St. Petersburg Muraqqa’, Milan, 1996, pl. 49-50). Dara Shikoh remained a popular figure for many years after his death. This miniature, though much later, shares many qualities with a miniature in the St. Petersburg Muraqqa’, which also features a representation of Dara Shikoh, (op. cit., pl. 4, Fl. 16 recto). Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
PROVENANCE From the collection of Helen and Joe Darion Estimate € 1200 - € 1500
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Lot 21 __________________________________________________________________________________
THREE MINIATURE PAGES, QAJAR, PERSIA, 19TH CENTURY Three pages, one depicting a couple in a landscape, two with poems. Pencil and pen heightened with gold on paper, laid down on album page. 22 by 8 cm. 31 by 43 cm.
Lot 23 __________________________________________________________________________________
A COMPOSED CAMEL, INDIA, 18TH-19TH CENTURY
Estimate € 1500 - € 2500
Ink, opaque watercolors, and gold on paper. This intriguing painting shows a camel composed of intertwined humans, animals, and mythical creatures. These include demons and a qilin (a legendary Chinese creature) with a feline body and gold wings. Some of the characters devour each other while others appear engaged in a brawl.
Lot 22 ___________________________________________
Oftentimes, fantastic beasts would be used to depict mystical ideas. In this case, the composite camel represents the interconnectedness of being within the unity of God. Page 19 by 10.5 cm. 22.5 by 14.5 cm.
A MAIDEN AND A BEARDED SNAKE CHARMER IN ROCKY LANDSCAPE QAJAR, PERSIA, 19TH CENTURY
Estimate € 1000 - € 2000
Ink on paper with the use of gold, inner borders decorated with animals and vegetation in colors and gold, outer border with illuminated panels cut out from earlier manuscripts. 14.2 by 8.5 cm. The inscriptions read: ‘His Holiness, Whad Juki, 112 (1)112 AH/1700 AD or 112(0) AH/ 1708 AD’, and on the top the name ‘Mansur’. Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
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Lot 24 ________________________________________
A PERSIAN FLAG WITH ARBIC INSCRIPTION, LATE 18TH-EARLY 19TH CENTURY
A triangular flag covered in intricate lines of script. On a natural beige silk background, the fine calligraphy has been hand written to create a solid block of text.Of the ownership of Baqir Khan Qajar, son of Agha Haji Hussein Khan Taj Lajan and Ziba KhanomThe bearer of the flag is Sheikh Ali Khan, most probably a high ranking dignitary at the royal court.The former owner of the flag is Baqir Khan Qajar, son of the late Agha Haji Hussein Khan Taj Lajan and Ziba Khanom. The text consists in general of citations of the Quran which refer to an angry and punishing god. The text asks for his help and support against the disbelievers. Mohammad and his followers (Ali, Fatima, Al-Hassan, Al-Hussein etc.) are the intercessors. The bearer of the flag is Sheikh Ali Khan, most probably a high ranking dignitary at the royal court.The lower part of the flag is divided in tables, mentioning some of the 99 names of Allah. Some of the names are accompanied by Indian digits. Other tables consist of Quran verses which adjure the elimination of the enemies. The tables are framed by prayers. One of them contains words which are neither Arabic nor Persian possibly a codification. H. 220 cm.
Lot 25 __________________________________________________________________________________
DU’A AL-SABAH, SIGNED AND DATED, MIR TAHIR, BEGINNING OF SHAWWAL 1297 AH/1880 AD
Du’a al-Sabah Hazrat Amir al-Muminin ‘Ali. Arabic manuscript on paper, 10 leaves, with 6 lines of neat black naskh script arranged in cloud bands on a gold ground per page within larger border of cobalt, red and gold flowers, opening bifolio with polychrome and gold illumination, signed and dated on final folio giving the patron as Muhammad ‘Ali Khan Kashani the Deputy (na’ib) of Sultan Murad Mirza Zill al-Sultan, in later red and green polychrome floral lacquer binding. Folio: 24.5 by 16.5 cm. Estimate € 2500 - € 3000
Estimate € 2500 - € 3000
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Lot 27 ___________________________________________________________________________________
Arabic manuscript on paper, Arabic poem, 4 lines written in black thuluth script reserved in clouds on a sprinkled gold ground. Decorated with polychrome floral motifs, ruled in polychrome borders. Signed by Ismail known as Nefeszade. 22.5 by 15 cm.
Arabic manuscript on paper, the top line in large black thuluth script depicting a verse from Quran praising the prophet. A panel of four lines of black naskh script depicting a hadith, gold rosettes outlined in black seperating the script, reserved in clouds on a gold ground, flanked on both sides by royal gilt and blue decoration.20 by 11 cm.
AN OTTOMAN CALLIGRAPHIC PANEL BY ISMAIL NEFESZADE, 17TH CENTURY
The Calligrapher Nefeszade Seyyid Ismail Efendi ( d.1090/1680), student of Sheikh Hamdullah school in the six scripts. Born in Istanbul, buried in Istanbul.There is not much information about the life of Nefeszâde Seyyid İsma’il Efendi, who is a relative of Nefeszâde Seyyid İbrahim Efendi, the author of Gülzar-ı Savâb. He followed lessons by Khalid Erzurumi and obtained a license and while he was trying to develop a unique style at first, he later decided to the follow the style of Sheikh Hamdullah and became a unique calligrapher. After educating many calligraphers and succeeding in many works, he died in 1090/1680.
AN OTTOMAN CALLIGRAPHIC PANEL BY MAHMUD CELALEDDIN EFENDI, 18TH CENTURY
Estimate € 1000 - € 1500
Estimate € 1500 - € 2000
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Lot 29 ___________________________________________
A PERSIAN MINIATURE OF A BIRD 19TH CENTURY
Opaque watercolor on cream paper, provides a naturalistic depiction of a bird perched on a flower spray with great details. Page: 22 by 14 cm. 26.5 by 17.5 cm. Estimate € 800 - € 1200
Lot 30 ___________________________________
A CALLIGRAPHIC LION MUGHAL, INDIA, 17TH CENTURY
Lot 28 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A GRISAILLE PAINTING OF A BEAR, ZAND OR QAJAR PERSIA LATE 18TH CENTURY
Pen and ink on lacquered paper, a bear, his tongue lolling from his mouth, props himself up against a leafless branch, slight staining, laid down between various gold and polychrome borders on a wide green card margin with polychrome gul-o-bulbul illumination, mounted. Painting: 17.2 by 12 cm Folio: 33.1 by 20.6 cm
Black pen on paper, the lion formed of black thuluth on cream paper, highlighted with gold flowers, mounted, with blue borders with gold floral design, framed. 24 by 35.5 cm. The nada ‘ali quatrain runs as follows: ‘Call upon ‘Ali who causes wonders You will find him helpful in misfortune All anguish, all sorrow will disappear Through your friendship [with God] O ‘Ali! O ‘Ali! O ‘Ali!’ Estimate € 4000 - € 6000
Estimate € 2500 - € 3500
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Lot 31 ______________________________________________________________________________________
BAHRAM GUR PROVES HIS RIGHT TO THE THRONE OF IRAN SAFAVID SHIRAZ, LAST QUARTER 16TH CENTURY
From a Shahnama of Firdawsi, gouache heightened with gold on paper, Bahram Gur stands between two lions with the throne and crown of Iran behind him, figures look in from either side and part of a camel train on top, with two lines of elegant nasta’liq above and four below, the text in white clouds on gold ground with scrolling floral vine, set in gold decorated margins decorated with mythical animals amongst trees and flowering shrubs, the reverse with a further 16ll. of elegant nasta’liq, three lines of which are divided into four columns and written diagonally between cartouches of polychrome and gold illumination, areas of rubbing to the pigments, glazed and framed. Estimate € 5000- € 8000
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Lot 32 __________________________________________________________________________________
BAHRAM GUR, THE SHEPHERD, AND HIS DOG TIMURID PERSIA LATE 14TH-EARLY 15TH CENTURY
An illustrated folio from the Haft Paykar of Nizami, gouache heightened with gold on paper, Bahram Gur in conversation with a shepherd beneath a tree, his dog hangs in the branches above, a black tent to one side and a saddled horse to the other, a gold sky above them, 11 lines of black nastaliq in four double outlined columns below, the reverse with four columns of 25 lines of similar text, miniature with some scuffing,. Estimate € 10.000- € 12.000
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Lot 33 ________________________________________________________________________________
A PRINCE IN A GARDEN COURTYARD, PERSIA, SAFAVID, 17TH CENTURY
Opaque watercolor, ink, gold on paper a typical (feast) scene. Traditionally, the prince is seated holding the two key symbols of Persian kingship, a wine cup and a royal handkerchief. His attendants offer him wine and fruit in gold vessels, as poetry is recited to the sound of the barbat (Persian lute) and the dayira (tambourine). 33 by 21.5 cm. Estimate € 2000- € 3000
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Lot 34 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A MINIATURE, THE RETURN OF THE KING, QAZVIN OR SHIRAZ, 1570-1580 AD, CENTRAL ASIA
Ink and gouache on paper. This miniature depicts a scene of men surrounding a bearded king wearing a crown who stands above a noble man on a pink and blue rug with floral motif. On the left six male figures with white turbans and dressed in long tunics of orange and blue belted at the waist, with some also wearing short-sleeved outer tunics. On the right there are four similar figures in the similar clothes. The bottom-most figure of the scene rides an elegant blue horse that wears silver trappings. Two more courtiers at the bottom discuss the red berries growing on the three in front of them. Their dress and facial hairstyles provide great insight in to the fashions of 16th century Persia and tell of the richness of the empire. The whole scene is set amongst a delicately detailed wild garden filled with flowers in pinks, blues, whites, oranges and greens. 18.5 cm. by 15.1 cm. PROVENANCE. Private collection, France Sotheby’s, London 23 April 1997. CATALOGUE NOTE The work was probably produced in either Qazvin or Shiraz, both of which were important cities for manuscript illumination workshops in Safavid Iran and which produced some of the finest paintings throughout the empire. This image is one of the illustrations from a manuscript of Negarestan, the work written by Ahmad ibn Muhammad Ghaffari during the mid-16th century. Muhammad Ghaffari (died 1567/58 AD) was a writer of Persian history and poetry and was recognized for the pragmatic qualities of his work that often detailed the rise and fall of various empires. A work of the early Safavid dynasty in Iran, it describes the history of Islam from the time of the Prophet until the date of manuscript’s first composition in 1564 AD. Estimate € 10.000- € 15.000
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Lot 35 ___________________________________________________________________________________
BATTLE OF BAHRAM CHUBINA AND KHOSROW PARVIZ, TURKISH SCHOOL LATE 15TH CENTURY
Page of a Shah Name. Bahram Chubina and Khosrow Parviz, both in armor and mounted on caparisoned horses, engage in a duel in a bluish hilly landscape, dotted with flowering stumps. Soldiers watch the scene sounding trumpets and drums under a blue sky crossed by swirling clouds. Text of four columns in black Nastaliq script above the miniature, separated by illuminated margins with floral and geometric friezes on a gold background. Illuminated title cartridge. Page: 33.5 by 22 cm.
Lot 36 ___________________________________________________________________________________
RUSTEM AND KHAQAN FROM CHINA, SAFAVID, PERSIA, LATE 16TH CENTURY Miniature depicting the hero Rustem grabbing Khaqan of China with a lasso and knocking him down from his white elephant, as armies on both sides battle in a blue landscape with golden skies. Text of four column in black nastaliq script in clouded cartouches with a gold background above and below the miniature. 21.2 by 16 cm. Estimate € 12.000- € 15.000
Estimate € 12.000- € 15.000
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Lot 37 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A SELJUK BRONZE OIL LAMP, CENTRAL ASIA, 12TH-13TH CENTURY
Of typical form, missing lid, with bird mounted to handle, engraved with inscriptions to wide rim and with arabesque filled cartouches to base and body. 18 cm. height Estimate € 2000- € 3000
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Lot 38 ____________________________________________________________________________________
A BRONZE LIDDED DAWAT, 12TH-13TH CENTURY, CENTRAL ASIA
This large golden brass coloured bronze pot has a fitted air-tight lid that suggests a utilitarian purpose – perhaps originally to hold medicines, spices and incense, which would need to be protected from the outside conditions, as well as kept secure. The pot has three lines of delicately inlaid epigraphic kufic panels which run around most of the body. Another line of inscription runs around the rim of the lid, where the remains of a hinge can be seen on one side. The intricate decoration highlights the Islamic fascination with calligraphic script, which was elevated from a means to transmit text to an exalted art form where the shape, style, size and colour of the lettering became its own exquisite form of decorative motif. It also highlights the pursuit of the written word at the time, with a thirst for academia, poetry and religious inscriptions being pursued. Often vessels of this type are topped with a domed lid, in resemblance to a domed building or minaret - it is rare that an example of this type has a simple flat top. This vessel is similar in style but much larger in size to the dawat inkwells found throughout the medieval Islamic world. Metalworkers frequently used bronze as the main body for practical objects, however the technique of inlaying with gold, silver, black niello and copper wire was widely popular as a form of decoration. Incisions were made, into which copper wire was hammered, creating a beautiful contrast of the green gold bronze and the red of the copper wire that obtains a beautiful rich patina over time. Such objects convey the wealth of the owner as a conspicuous display, but also tell of their taste and refinement, and Islamic metalwork such as this is one of the greatest surviving remnants of the period, which remains highly prized today. No two of these large cylindrical boxes are alike, suggesting that each would have been most likely custom made to the patron’s wishes. They could dictate the size, material and decoration to suit their own tastes and needs from their chosen workshop, making this a highly personal and charming piece of medieval metalwork. A similar style large cylindrical box to this in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has an inscription running the outside of the body dedicating good wishes to the box’s owner, while on the top is the name of the metal worker, suggesting a genuine personal connection existed between the maker and purchaser of these objects. The Metropolitan Museum box contains similar intricate patterns of decoration to ours, and they share the same shape and possibly function, however ours is over double the size, highlighting the rarity of its scale. The Khalili Collection in London contains another similar box to ours, that has bands of kufic script around the exterior, but which contains a dome pediment with a bird on top, unlike the unique flat surface of our lid. Combined these boxes discuss the decorative schemes abundant in early Islamic metalwork, and provide fascinating insight in to the tastes and choices of patrons from the period, while also extending the idea that our example is both monumental in size and unique in shape for the type. 18 cm.height, 24 cm. diam. Estimate € 4000 - € 6000
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Lot 40 _______________________________________________
13 cm. height, 14 cm. length
A spouted ewer with slightly flared base, pear-shaped belly and tapering spout. The ribbed handle is attached to the main body and rises to the back of the spout. A ball shaped pomegranate counter weight sits at the top. With a very simple but elegant in design, it is likely this vessel was used a wine pourer. 36 cm. height
A BRONZE INSCRIBED FATIMID HARE, 10TH-11TH CENTURY
Inscriptions: “Perpetual glory and prosperity” Estimate € 3500- € 4500
AN ISLAMIC BRONZE EWER, CENTRAL ASIA 8TH CENTURY
CATALOGUE NOTE. This type of ewer, whose shape is derived from known Sasanian silverware, has been dated from the start of the 8th century, thanks to a record of a similar ewer in the Tiflis Museum in Georgia. There is a similar shaped ewer in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and another, exhibited in Riyadh and London, in the collection belonging to the Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan. Estimate € 4000- € 6000
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Lot 42 ______________________________________
A FINE CAST BRONZE LION HEAD, FROM AN INCENSE BURNER KHORASAN, 11TH-12TH CENTURY
Cast in the form of a lion with open mouth, pointed ears, the body pierced and engraved. 6 cm. height Estimate € 1000- € 1500
Lot 43 ______________________________________
A SAFAVID BRONZE FINIAL, PERSIA 17TH CENTURY
Possibly from an ‘ alam, in the form of a dragon’s head cast in the round and engraved with a pattern of scales on the head. 9 cm. height
Lot 41 _________________________________________________________________________________
Estimate € 500- € 800
A KHORASAN BRONZE POLYCANDELON, PERSIA, 12TH-13TH CENTURY
Made up of twelve small interlinking circular candle-holders, surrounded by double facing birds, incised with decoration. 50 cm. diam. CATALOGUE NOTE Polycandela originated in classical times and were particularly common in the Byzantine world during the 6th and 7th centuries. They continued to to be manufactured in Spain, North Africa, Syria and Egypt during the Islamic period. However, in Persia they were not so popular and it is said that Persians actually preferred to have lampstands on the floor instead of ones that hung from the ceiling. The projecting birds’s heads on the polycandelon may be a stamp of a maker’s workshop. An almost identical bronze polycandelon is in the David Collection, (Kjeld von Folsach, Art from the World of Islam, Copenhagen, 2001, no. 475) and another in the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore, (The Arts of Islam, Hayward Gallery, London,1976, no. 182).
Lot 44 ______________________________________
Estimate € 2500- € 3500
18 cm. height
A BRONZE ELEPHANT SPOUT TERMINAL, PERSIA OR CENTRAL ASIA, 11TH-12TH CENTURY
Estimate € 800- € 1200
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Lot 45 _________________________________________________________________________________
A PAIR OF LARGE JUGS, KHORASAN, CENTRAL ASIA, 11TH-12TH CENTURY
These two monumental Khorasan ewers are a matching pair, both displaying fine incision work and verdigris patination. The handles are curved and adorned with thumb rests and a pierced dome with a bird finial on top. Each lid is cast with delicate openwork, the tops domed and resembling minarets. The long tubular necks are decorated with bands of scrolling incision work and arabesque. 51 cm. height (2) Estimate € 8000- € 12.000
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Lot 46 _______________________________________________________________________________
Lot 47 _________________________________________________________________________________
The basin is composed mainly of bronze, with inlay of copper, silver and brass. It is an elegant shape with a broad mouth that flows in to rounded shoulders, which narrow quickly to a rounded base containing particularly complex decoration. The entire exterior of the basin is almost completely covered with highly-detailed inlaid designs that swirls around the surface, enhancing the shape. At first glance, the design lends the surface of the object a silvery and ornate impression, but upon closer examination, a forest of ornament becomes apparent in bands of braids and vegetal borders. The central, widest register is filled with small roundels, interspersed with larger ones, within which figures sit in profile. Their arms are raised, and each holds an instrument. It is most likely that they are court musicians. 12 cm.height, 28 cm. diam
A candlestick with a concave-sided body and candle holder, a concave drip tray and cylindrical neck. The body is decorated with large cartouches enclosing Arabic inscriptions in large thuluth script, linked with cartouches enclosing arabesques, set between two bands of geometric desgins and chains. Around the foot a band of flower heads. The shoulder is decorated with three cartouches enclosing Arabic inscriptions in thuluth script linked. The candle holder with roundels enclosing Arabic inscriptions and geometric designs. 22 cm. height
Estimate € 12.000- € 15.000
Estimate € 10.000- € 15.000
A BRONZE, COPPER, SILVER AND BRASS BASIN, CENTRAL ASIA 11TH-13TH CENTURY
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A SILVER-INLAID CANDLESTICK, PERSIA, 11TH-12TH CENTURY
PROVENANCE
Previously in a Private Family Collection, 1960’s.
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Lot 48 _________________________________________________________________________________
AN ISLAMIC JEWELLRY BOX, 12TH-13TH CENTURY
An ornate bronze box is of a type attributed by Melikian-Chirvani to Western Iran. Formed from a large rectangle that rests on four short feet, with a body decorated in intricate silver inlay, which includes rosettes at each corner and a large floral motif either side of a lock. The large sturdy hinged lock suggests it was used specifically to store valuable items and highlights the practical function of the object that elegantly combines form and function. The top part of the box is composed of a lid with sloping shoulders and contains a large bronze exotic bird with its wings spread and tail plumage fanned as if in flight. 20 by 16 by 11 cm.
CATALOGUE NOTE
As was tradition for luxury metal goods in the Medieval Islamic period, a fine inlay of silver has been applied to the box, which highlights the intricate detail of the decoration, contrasting the gold and reflecting the intricacy of the design whether by sunlight or flame. It also displays the wealth and taste of the owner while simultaneously hinting at the rich contents inside – perhaps fine jewellery or precious objects that needed to be kept safe from prying hands and eyes. Islamic bronze workers in Iran during the Sasanian and post Sasanian periods often played with the proportions of different alloys. Highly tinned alloys (around 20% tin) would result in a very reflective silver finish. This casket has a more golden tone with red patina, which can most likely be attributed to higher levels of copper, zinc or lead that can be found in the alloy. The wonderful color has a rich shimmer and brilliant patina, and speaks highly of the mastery of these Islamic metalworkers. A similar bronze box can be found in the David Collection in Copenhagen, Denmark. Estimate € 10.000- € 15.000
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Lot 49 _________________________________________________________________________________
Lot 50 _________________________________________________________________________________
With a straight neck and a bulbous form neck that rests upon a flaring foot. The neck with a decoration that runs all the way round it. With a backing of a foliate and arabesque design, laid on top is a stylized script, where the verticals of the downward strokes are inlaid with silver creating a secondary band design. The body is not completely ovoid, composed of twelve slightly concave strips, each with a stylized flower design, with the centre of the flowers being a small dot of silver. The foot decorated with a band of incised lotus flowers. 14 cm. height
Of hemispherical form on spreading trumpet foot, the shallow domed cover, the bowl plain save for a band of elegant Naskh benedictory inscription around the rim on an engraved scrolling foliate ground, the cover with similar engraved band. 22 cm. height, 15 cm. diam.
A BRONZE KHORASAN JUG WITH SILVER INLAY, CENTRAL ASIA 12TH-13TH CENTURY
CATALOGUE NOTE
The name ‘Khorasan’ comes from the Middle Persian words khor meaning ‘sun’, and asan, ‘to come’, making it the ‘land where the sun rises’. It was among one of the many regions conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th Century B.C., and this led to its succeeding history being constantly subjected to different rulers and cultures, and this led to a distinctive local artwork.
A KHORASSAN BRONZE COVERED FOOTED BOWL, PERSIA 12TH-13TH CENTURY
Inscription ‘Glory, prosperity, health, power, safety, happiness, satisfaction, divine care, abundance, health, completude, perpetuity and to him [the owner] Paradise’. 22 cm. height, 15 cm. diam. PROVENANCE Private Collection, 1970’s. Estimate € 2000- € 3000
Estimate € 1000- € 1500
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Lot 51 ______________________________
A SILVER-INLAID MORTAR, KHORSAN, 13TH CENTURY
The octagonal body with flat everted rim, eight loop handles within four stylised bovine clasps, the brass body incised and inlaid with silver, designed with two anthropomorphic naskh friezes on body and four roundels enclosing a seated figure in the centre against a foliate scroll ground. 25 cm. diam.
CATALOGUE NOTE
This impressive mortar displays the ingenuity of thirteenth-century craftsmen working in Khorasan, famed for their silver-inlay techniques. The present example is shaped as a simple bronze mortar, whose use would have lain in the pounding of herbs and spices for medicinal purposes. Yet it was inlaid with detailed silver designs, including an anthropomorphic naskh frieze on a vegetal ground near the rim and base of the mortar, as well as four roundels which enclose a seated cross legged figure. The seated figure may be read possibly as the personification of a planet or zodiac sign as in a comparable example in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. no. 91.1.527a,b). The mortar in the Metropolitan Museum was made for Abu Bark ‘Ali Malikzad al-Tabrizi and is dated to the late-twelth/early thirteenth century. It features figural medallions, two of which are identified as Jauzahr, the eighth planet, depicted as a seated figure flanked by snakes with dragon-heads. The figure on the present example can also be interpreted as a courtier, but the use of an anthropomorphic frieze above and below suggests an astronomical reading. The present example features eight suspended rings that are held together by four stylised bovine heads which are comparable in style to a bronze mortar of the same period in the Victoria and Albert Museum (inv. no. M.24-1963, see Melikian-Chirvani 1982, pp. 161-162). It is rare to find an object of everyday use elevated to such an artistic rank and the silver inlay and complexity of design on the present mortar point toward a luxurious commission probably for an apothecary’s shop.
Estimate € 30.000 - € 50.000
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Lot 52 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A MONUMENTAL KHORASAN BRONZE SERVING BOWL, SIGNED BY ‘ABU BAKR MUHAMMAD IBN HASAN AL-HERATI, PERSIA, 13TH CENTURY Of deep rounded form on a short splayed foot with flat rim, the rim engraved with a band of inscription-filled cartouches interspersed by roundels containing cruciform motifs surrounded by petals, one cartouche with Thuluth inscription and a quadruped surrounded by an undulating vine, another with inscription in cursive surrounded by an undulating vine, the remaining cartouches with inscription in Kufic on a ground of scrolling vines terminating in trefoil palmettes. 71.5 cm. diam. Inscriptions al-’izz wa al-iqbal wa al-dawla wa a/l-salama wa al-sa’ada wa al-shifa’a wa a/l-shukra wa al-shakira wa al-’afiya wa al-tamma/ wa al-rahma wa al-raha wa al-baqa li-sahibihi, ‘Glory and Prosperity and Wealth and Well-being and Happiness and [Prophet’s] Intercession and Gratitude and Gratefulness and Health and Plenitude and Mercy and Ease and Long-life to its owner’; and signed as ‘Work of Abu bakr Muhammad bin Husayn al-Harati’; with the owner’s name ‘Haji Habash (?) Halwa’i (the confectioner)’.
CATALOGUE NOTE This large scale bronze Khorasan serving bowl is of remarkable importance. The engraved maker’s signature on the rim, Abu Bakr, leads us to believe that our bowl was made in the region Herat, Eastern Khorasan. Additionally, Abu Bakr’s signature bears witness to the existence of an active and powerful metalwork family. The very presence of a signature highlights the success of casting such a monumental vessel; this fits in with the custom of signing Khorasan metalwork seen elsewhere on a cauldron found in the Hermitage (Anatoli Aleksevich Ivanov, vo dvortsaw i v shatrax, islamskiy mi rot kitaya do evropi, exhibition catalogue, Saint Petersburg, 2008, pl. 23, p. 41). Almost synonymous in style, a tray in the Kier collection is engraved with a similar rabbit motif to those found on our bowl, suggestive of a decorative trend particular to the Herat province (G. Fehervari, Islamic Metalwork in the Keir Collection, London, 1976, pl. 23a.) Unconventional in size, our Khorasan serving bowl breaks from the trend of the cauldron style, initially designed for use over a fire, highlighting the maker’s motive and priority for design over practicality.
Estimate € 25.000- € 35.000
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Lot 53 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A KHORASAN BRONZE EWER, PERSIA, 12TH-13TH CENTURY
A raised collar at the base of the neck. The simple undulated strap handle with a bold palmette finial topped with a knob. The exterior of the body engraved with a horizontal register of calligraphic script under the collar, arabesque motifs in cartouches in profile and foliage stemming from globular vases on the belly. On the foot, a further band of vertical partitions. 34 cm. Estimate € 6000- € 8000
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Lot 54 ______________________________
AN UMAYYAD INSCRIBED BRONZE OIL LAMP POSSIBLY ANDALUSIA, 12TH-13TH CENTURY
On spreading shaped trumpet foot, with lion’s head cover and with four spouts each with heart shaped funnel. The simple loop handle with finial in the form of a bird, inscribed to the shoulder. 18 cm. height Estimate € 2000- € 3000
Lot 55 _________________________________
A LARGE KHORASAN BRONZE VASE, PERSIA 10TH-12TH CENTURY With fluted pear-shaped body, flaring neck and on a splayed high foot, all sections incised with cartouches of Kufic inscriptions. 29 cm. height
Lot 56 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A BRONZE OIL LAMP, KHORASAN, EASTERN PERSIA, 12TH CENTURY
On spreading shaped trumpet foot, with cover and two spouts each with heart shaped funnel. The simple loop handle with finial in the form of a bird, inscribed to the shoulder. 29 cm. height Estimate € 2000- € 3000
Inscriptions ‘Glory, prosperity and power’ Estimate € 3000- € 5000
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Lot 57 _______________________________________________
AN ISLAMIC OPENWORK OIL LAMP AND STAND, CENTRAL ASIA, 12TH-13TH CENTURY The lamp is a wonderful example of its type, standing on a spreading and trumpeted pedestal base, decorated with a simple openwork motif, with a fuel chamber that is squat in form, topped by a hinged, highly decorated bell shaped lid. On the front of the chamber, and on each side, are spouts with long openings, to increase the amount of light the flame would produce. Attached to the back of the body is a flat projection to which a loop handle is fixed. On top of this is a large, inverted teardrop to act as a counterweight, allowing the user of the lamp to hold it at a distance safe from burning. The tubular stand, also with openwork, rises from three feet to a level shoulder. Just above, the dome-shaped section is adorned with perforated arabesque decoration, which leads to a carved tubular shaft with bosses at either end. The magnificent stand culminates with a wide circular tray that has slightly flared rim with engraved calligraphy. The inclusion of calligraphy illustrates a medieval passion for the form, where it was extended beyond a means to transmit a message in to a versatile and infinite art form, and descriptions on lamp stands are known to reference the virtues of light. The palmette design around the foot of the stand resembles earlier archaic forms and highlights the amalgamation of styles present. This rare example of a complete lamp and stand is testament to the medieval Islamic metal workshop’s skill and ability in producing monumental pieces that seamlessly combine form and function to produce exquisite works of art. The volume of bronze necessary to create such a piece, combined with the necessary knowledge in bronze-working mean this could have only been created by a particular skilled artisan versed in production techniques, and only afforded by a wealthy patron of the workshop.
CATALOGUE NOTE. The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art in London contains a similar Khorasan lamp stand from the 11th – 12th century constructed from pierced openwork bronze, which stands shorter at 60 cm. in height. It closely resembles this example, with a delicate and intricate pattern typical of the period, and zoomorphic hooved feet. The Nasser D. Khalili example is missing its original lamp, stressing the importance of this complete unit. The Victoria and Albert Museum in London contains a similar Khorasan lamp, which also contains engraved calligraphic designs. It lacks the openwork detailing and intricate counterweight of ours, and has only two spouts rather than three, but illustrates the huge array of shapes in which these objects came. Combined these objects highlight the importance of artificial light in the medieval world, used to illuminate homes, mosques and madrasas, but also the pride taken in adorning functional objects with beautiful design8
Lot 58 _______________________________________
A KHORASAN OPENWORK BRONZE FINIAL, PERSIA, 12TH-13TH CENTURY On a spreading base, the openwork body tapering towards with neck, rising to a bulbous section surmounted by a six-pointed openwork star and peacock terminal. 25.3 cm. height PROVENANCE Acquired by the vendor from a private collection formed in the 1970s. Estimate € 1600- € 2000
Illumination depended on objects such as this, and the raised freestanding platform would have provided greater light than a held lamp. Particularly fine examples such as this were often used for special ritual occasions, when an increased demand for devices was apparent, and particularly fine lamps and stands would be publicly displayed. 83 cm. (stand), 23 cm. (lamp) Estimate € 6000- € 8000
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Lot 59 __________________________________________________________________________________
AN INSCRIBED KHORASAN OPENWORK, BRONZE CANDLESTICK BASE, PERSIA, 12TH-13TH CENTURY
Of domed form, with slight everted base, stepped shoulder and the shaft emerging from a sunken well to top, inscribed in Kufic script to base and shoulder. 28.2 cm. diam. 15.4 cm. height Estimate € 3500- € 4500
Lot 60 ______________________________________
A BRONZE CANDLESTICK ANATOLIA, 12TH-13TH CENTURY
Of truncated waisted conical form with a large splayed foot and a tall, ridged, cylindrical neck rising to a tapered candle holder. 23 cm. height, 19 cm. width
Lot 61 __________________________________________________________________________________
A LARGE KHURASAN BRONZE LAMPSTAND, EASTERN PERSIA, 12TH CENTURY In three parts, the tripod base supporting a stem, the circular tray inlaid with designs. 56 cm. height Estimate € 4000- € 6000
Estimate € 2500- € 3000
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Lot 63 __________________________________________
A KHORASAN BRONZE EWER, PERSIA 12TH-13TH CENTURY
The cylindrical slightly upward opening body rests on a round base the top is flat and the cylindrical neck has a collar at its lower part and on top is a high semi-opened spout.The body is decorated on one side with a round medallion and opposite by a three-lobed cartouche, both with floral designs. arabesque motifs in cartouches including a sphinx An epigraphic band with foliated Kufic runs around below the shoulder and a similar one on the flat top the neck decorated with a seated lion to either side. 36 cm. height. Estimate € 2000- € 3000
Lot 64 ___________________________________
A MAGIC-MEDICINAL BRASS BOWL, PERSIA, 17TH CENTURY
Lot 62 __________________________________________________________________________________
BRONZE CANDLESTICK MOSUL, IRAQ, 13TH CENTURY
With inscribed tags attached with wire to the rim of a raised central circular disk, the interior and exterior densely inscribed with calligraphy. 21 cm. diam. Estimate € 2000- € 3000
The body decorated with four cartouches on scrolling ground, divided by roundels containing , a band of stylised leaf-motifs above and below, the shoulder decorated with scrolling arabesque interspersed with roundels with interlaced geometric motif, the neck with stylised palmettes in roundels on an interlaced geometric ground. 20 cm. height. 16 cm. diam. Estimate € 4000- € 6000
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Lot 65 ____________________________________________________________________________________
SILVER VESSEL WITH NIELLO, CENTRAL ASIA, 12TH-13TH CENTURY
This sheet-silver container was originally the base and lower neck of a bottle, but at some stage of its history-the neck and mouth were cut off. However, the bottle had already been altered by the addition of a handle, for the outline of part of the lower handle terminal is clearly visible below the calligraphic ornament at the beginning and end of the inscription round the shoulder. It seems likely that the three roundels belong to this period of its history. The Kufic inscription gives the name of the owner, reading: ‘Glory, prosperity, wealth and happiness to Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn ‘Isa the mattress-stuffer’. We do not know who Abu Bakr Muhammad was, or where he lived, but he had clearly prospered in his mattressstuffing business. The script suggests a dating to the 12th or early 13th century. The three roundels bear a pair of confronted peacocks, a horseman and a fox. The first two motifs are common on Islamic metalwork, though the horseman is carrying an uncommon kind of mace over his shoulder and his face is shown unusually in three-quarter profile. The fox, however, is exceptional. The jackals Kalila and Dimna are found in Islamic art, particularly of course in illustrated manuscripts of the animal fables in which they feature, and foxes are found walking with other animals in the animal friezes which decorate many metalwork objects. Here, however, we have a fox apparently tearing at its own tail. The significance of this image remains to be discovered. The dating of these roundels to the 11th century is suggested by the style of the fox’s tail and of those of the peacocks. H: 12.6 cm D: 12. 8 cm Estimate € 80.000 - € 120.000
Lot 66 ________________________________________
A SILVER SELJUK CIRCULAR PLAQUE, POSSIBLY A MIRROR 12TH-13TH CENTURY
Lot 67 ____________________________________________________________________________________
A PERSIAN SILVER AND NIELLO ORNAMENT, 12TH CENTURY
The reverse of this mirror depicts a hunter on horseback. 8.5 cm. diam.
Of demi-lune form the surface lightly engraved with two confronted peacocks within roundels against a ground of scrolling vegetation, a crouching hare in the space beneath them, two smaller birds in the spandrels above, surrounded by a knotted border, two attachment knops in top two corners, small portion missing at bottom edge. 11 cm. across
Estimate € 1200- € 1400
Estimate € 1000 - € 2000
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Lot 68 ______________________________________
A BRONZE FINIAL IN THE FORM OF HARE, POSSIBLY FATIMID 11TH-13TH CENTURY Standing upright on two front legs, engraved to the chests with roundels containing abstract vegetal interlace, further decoration to the ears and face. 19 cm. height Estimate € 500 - € 800
Lot 70 __________________________________________________________________________________
A BRONZE INSCRIBED SILVER-INLAY LID, KHORASAN, 12TH-13TH CENTURY
Lot 69 ______________________________________
A BRONZE FALCON POSSIBLY FATIMID 11TH-13TH CENTURY 9 cm. height
Inscriptions ‘Glory, prosperity, power, happiness, safety, perpetuity, happiness, prophetic intercession, abundancy, divine protection, satisfaction, justice and perpetuity to its owner’ 8 cm. diam. PROVENANCE Previously in a private family collection, 1960’s. Estimate € 5000- € 8000
Estimate € 300 - € 500
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Lot 71 ________________________________________
A PAIR OF FATIMID GOLD EARRINGS, 12TH CENTURY A pair of gold and garnet earrings. 12 gr. weight 5 cm. height Estimate € 800 - € 1200
Lot 72 ___________________________________________
A SELJUK GOLD PENDANT, PERSIA 11TH-12TH CENTURY
Comprising a central inverted T-shape element of box construction, the face with figure-of-eight wire decoration, flanked on each side with confronted birds formed of scrolling wirework with applied similar wings and conical tails, one with a pronounced crest, three pendant beads of similar workmanship below with seed-pearls, a similar larger seed-pearl and suspension loop above. 6 by 4.5 cm. 8 gr. weight CATALOGUE NOTE The motif of two confronted peacocks, found on Byzantine jewelry (Hasson, Rachel: Early Islamic Jewelry, Jerusalem, 1987, no.3, p. 13) Estimate € 1600 - € 2000
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Lot 74 _______________________________________________________________________________
A SELJUK INSET GOLD BRACELET, PERSIA, 12TH CENTURY
Comprising eight similar rectangular panels, each with a central inset hardstone or white metal panel inscribed with two lines of kufic, in a border of wirework figure-of eight motifs within twisted wire and granulated decoration, attachment loops along each side, the reverse plain, some stones probably replaced. Each panel 2.5 by 2.5 cm. 63 gr. weight Estimate € 8000 - € 12.000 Lot 73 _______________________________________________________________________________
A FATIMID COLLECTION OF ORNATE GOLD BEADS, 11TH-13TH CENTURY 31 Pieces: 1-1.5 cm. diam. 185 gr. weight
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CATALOGUE NOTE
Lot 75 ______________________________
Lot 76 ______________________________
4.5 cm. height
5 cm. length
Estimate € 500 - € 700
Estimate € 500 - € 700
Both men and women wore silver and gold necklaces in Fatimid times, but this resembles a woman’s choker. This necklace consists of thirty one hollow beads made of gold sheet, each with facets and a central hole in each side surrounded by twisted gold wire. Estimate € 5000 - € 8000
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A FATIMID GOLD OPENWORK ORNAMENT 11TH CENTURY
A FATIMID GOLD OPENWORK ORNAMENT 11TH CENTURY
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Lot 79 _______________________________________________________________________________
A SELJUK GOLD BRACELET, PERSIA, 11TH CENTURY
Of hollow sheet construction terminating in two highly stylized confronted dragons’ heads, one quarter hinged, the exterior applied with a band of inset turquoise or turquoise glazed elements alternating with raised twisted wirework domed elements, flanked by applied wirework rosettes, the features of the dragons’ heads similarly indicated and inset. 8 cm. diam. 54 gr. weight Lot 77 _______________________________________________________________________________
Estimate € 6000 - € 8000
A FATIMID BEADED GOLD NECKLACE, LAPIS-LAZULI, 11TH-13TH CENTURY 50 cm. length 36 gr. weight Estimate € 3500 - € 4500 Lot 78 ______________________________________________
Lot 80 ______________________________________________
A GOLD AN SILVER RING AYYABID DYNASTY, 12TH CENTURY
A SELJUK NIELLOED GOLD RING WITH TURQUOISE, PERSIA, 12TH-13TH CENTURY
A gold dinar with a cursive inscription within a gold border with arabesque design and shank with applied palmettes. 2.1 cm. height, 7 gr. weight
Cast in gold, with oval bezel with four prongs securing turquoise stone, the shoulders engraved and inlaid with roundels containing and a scrolling interlace arabesque. 2.4 cm. height, 7 gr. weight
The inscription Al’amam ‘Ahmad Estimate € 1500 - € 2000
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Estimate € 1000 - € 1200
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Lot 81 _______________________________________________________________________________
A TURQUOISE AND PEARL-SET PARCEL GOLD BAZUBAND PERSIA OR ANATOLIA, 12TH-13TH CENTURY
Composed of fifteen elements each connected by a panel of interlocking links, the elements alternately of square form and dome shape. 68 cm. length
CATALOGUE NOTE
This is one of the most substantial and unusual examples of Seljuk jewellery to be offered at auction in recent times. It combines a strength in design with a sophistication in manufacture. The foliate decoration, the shape of the elements, the form of the clasp are all familiar from recorded examples of Seljuk jewellery. The use of bands of interconnected links to join the elements is less common. Several examples of bands formed in this way have been discovered. A bracelet formed entirely of such a band was published by Popescu and thought to be of Balkan origin and date from the fourteenth century (Popescu 1970, p.56, no.84). Another bracelet of related form was attributed to the Ottoman Empire sometime in the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries (Spink and Son 1986, p.62, no.68). A further example in the National Museum in Damascus was believed to originate in northern Syria and to date from the twelfth or thirteenth century. The combination of the elements, drawing on a more readily identifiable Persian Seljuk style, linked by bands associated with the area extending from the Balkans through Anatolia to northern Syria suggests that the origin of this piece of jewellery may be from the Rum Seljuk tradition. 50 cm. length 36 gr. weight Estimate € 17.000 - € 22.000
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Lot 82 _______________________________________________________________________________
Lot 83 _______________________________________________________________________________
A SELJUK GOLD BRACELET, PERSIA, 11TH CENTURY
A SELJUK GOLD BRACELET, PERSIA, 11TH- 12TH CENTURY
Of hollow sheet construction terminating in two highly stylized confronted dragons’ heads, one quarter hinged, the exterior applied with a band of inset turquoise or turquoise glazed elements alternating with raised twisted wirework domed elements, flanked by applied wirework rosettes, the features of the dragons’ heads similarly indicated and inset. 7 cm. diam. 54 gr. weight
This bracelet is a very beautiful example of Seljuk jewellery. With its twisted body (Shank), and finely crafted ends (in the shape of four hemispheres around the clasp of cartouche-shaped), with granulation, adorned with fine chisel, this bracelet represents a very high level of craftsmanship. Probably produced by an Anatolian workshop and not by an Iranian one, considering that at the beginning of the century, the great Seljuk empire fell under the rule of the Mongols, interrupting for some time the extremely rich production of goods from Iran. It is likely that, because of their beauty, craftsmanship and fine materials, this bracelet was worn by an affluent member of society. 8 cm diam. 59 gr. weight
Estimate € 6000 - € 8000
CATALOGUE NOTE Finds of bracelets comprising graduated twisted shanks were made in Syria (Al-‘Ush, Abu’l-Faraj, Musée Nationale de Damas, Départment des Antiquités Islamiques, Damascus, 1976, p. 207, fig. 118). It has also been reported that in Gurgan, in Northern Iran, bracelets of this type have been found (M. Jenkins and M. Keene, Islamic Jewelry in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1982, no. 22) Estimate € 6000 - € 8000
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Lot 84 ____________________________________________________________________________________
A RARE GLASS SPOUTED JUG, CENTRAL ASIA, 11TH-12TH CENTURY
This wonderful vessel bears elegant witness to the beauty of early Islamic glassware. Dating from the era of Seljuk rule, it was likely commissioned by a member of the new ruling elite. Techniques of glass-working continued much as they had under Sasanian and Abbasid rule, yet the ‘ewer’ type of vessel we find here, intended to pour wine or water, is a distinctively early Islamic type of ware. The vessel is distinguished by its unusual spout, which projects steeply from the top of the jug. From the rim protrude twin extension loops, and a large handle with a thumb rest. The lower part of the handle rests on the vessel’s flattened shoulders. These swell outwards below a narrow cylindrical neck, ringed with an undulating applied collar, also of glass. The body of the jug below the shoulders is hemispherical and rests on a flat base. As an example of extant early Islamic glassware, it is notable for its large size. A similar glass jug, dating from the same period, may be found in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. It has suffered more damage over time, and lacks the finesse of this piece, but provides a useful comparison in that it follows the same typically Islamic, ewer-like design. A glass vessel in the Metropolitan Museum, New York has a handle, spout and thumb-rest which resemble those found here. This jug a refined example of a well-established type, and remarkable for its emphatically moulded spout. Estimate € 25.000 - € 30.000
PROVENANCE Previously in a Private Collection, kept in Switzerland, originally acquired 17th October 1993 from Yazdani Ancient & Islamic Art Ltd (accompanied by Swiss import documents). ALR certificate dated 20th May 2005.
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Lot 85 ____________________________________________________________________________________
A LARGE WHEEL-CUT CLEAR GLASS FLASK, PERSIA, 9TH-10TH CENTURY
Of clear glass with a pale yellowish hue, the cylindrical body curved at the shoulder, the tall neck of inverted conical form, decorated with interlocking abstract motifs, areas of iridescence. 16 cm. height PROVENANCE Previously in a Private Collection, 1950’s. CATALOGUE NOTE Similar abstract designs can be found on a flask of this period in the L.A. Mayer Museum (Hasson 1979, p.27, no. 47) Estimate € 12.000 - € 15.0000
Lot 86 ____________________________________________________________________________________
A FINE AND RARE COLORED GLASS ANIMAL FORM UNGUENTARIUM SYRIA, 7TH-9TH CENTURY
With two free-blown tubular flasks of transparent colorless glass encased in trails of purple hot-worked glass in the form of rippling vertical flanges with two lug handles set on four naturalistic animal feet with the tail, long neck, ears and mouth of a quadruped, possibly a camel. 9 cm. height Estimate € 1500 - € 2000
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Lot 87 ____________________________________________________________________________________
AN AMBER GLASS JUG, PERSIA, 10TH-11TH CENTURY
This alluring glass jug is a fine example of Islamic glass making from the early Medieval Islamic Period. Glass making production after the fall of the Roman Empire fell in to decline across the Near East, except for in the areas of modern day Egypt, Syria and Iraq, where its traditions continued, being passed on to Medieval craftsmen. As furnace technology improved, allowing wider variety of production, many new styles evolved, and the early Medieval Period between the 8th and the 12th centuries produced some of the most unique and playful glass from the across of Islamic world, little of which unfortunately survives due to its fragile nature . This fine example consists of a rounded body, made using the dip-moulding technique where a parison of molten glass is be dipped in to a mould then tooled, blown or manipulated against the edges in to various forms . It exhibits a characteristic softly moulded pattern of raised, rolling lines across the body of the glass that radiate from the upper body in irregular curves, adding an element of decoration. This effect is achievable through the dip-mould technique and adds a sense of dynamism to the jug, making it appear almost organic, whilst the rich colour was probably achieved with the addition of Manganese inclusions during the melting process . The narrow neck, with a single ridged detail tapers to a drop-shaped spout with a slightly inverted rim that sits above a beautiful section of detailing around the neck of an undulating trail design of thick glass. A separately moulded glass handle applied when the body was still hot also exhibits and elegant trail motif at the upper end. A similar glass jug exists in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, from modern day Iraq. This example has a similar globular shaped moulded body, with applied glass detail and handle, but lacks the deep colour, finesse of detail, and alluring shape of our example, whilst also of smaller size and in worse condition. It suggests our glass jug could take pride of place in any museum or private collection. Estimate € 2000 - € 3000 PROVENANCE Previously in a Private Family Collection, 1970’s.
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Lot 88 ________________________________________
Lot 91 __________________________________________
A HONEYCOMB FACTED WHEEL-CUT GLASS BOTTLE, PERSIA, CIRCA 10TH CENTURY
AN EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS BOTTLE PERSIA, 9TH-10TH CENTURY
Six sided faceted bottle has slightly flared neck, a flat base, and angular shoulder, the six-sided neck is faceted and the opening is hexagonal. 10 cm. height
Of transparent colorless glass covered in iridescence, with hexagonal faceted neck, the body worked with three honeycomb bands around the body. 13 cm. height 8 cm. diam.
Estimate € 1000 - € 1200
Estimate € 2500 - € 3500
Lot 89 ______________________________________
A NISHAPUR WHEEL-CUT CYLINDRICAL CLEAR GLASS BEAKER, NORTH EAST PERSIA, 1OTH CENTURY
AN EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS BOTTLE PERSIA, 9TH-10TH CENTURY
With flat base, the sides cut with two panels, each with a central hatched lozenge issuing scrolling tendrils flanked by stylized pillars, the two panels divided by vertical hatched bands, repaired breaks, areas of golden iridescence. 8 cm. height 9.5 cm. diam Estimate € 1500 - € 2000
Lot 90 ______________________________________
AN EARLY ISLAMIC BLOWN PALE BLUE-GREEN GLASS FLASK, SYRIA OR EGYPT, 8TH-9TH CENTURY.
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Lot 92 ______________________________________
Six sided faceted bottle has slightly flared neck, a flat base and angular shoulder, the six-sided neck is faceted and the opening is hexagonal, translucent yellowish colorless. 16 cm. height Estimate € 1000 - € 1200
Lot 93 __________________________________
A GLASS PITCHER, PERSIA 11TH-12TH CENTURY
Featuring an elongated pyriform body leading to a long cylindrical neck and a wide flaring rim. One applied handle extends from the rim to the shoulder. 8.5 cm. height
Green globular pitcher with a slightly flared neck a curved dragon head handle and a decorated body. 12 cm. height
Estimate € 800 - € 1200
Estimate € 700 - € 900
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Lot 94 __________________________________________
AN EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS BOTTLE, EGYPT OR SYRIA, 7TH-8TH CENTURY
Lot 97 _____________________________________________
A RAQQA BLUE AND WHITE POTTERY JAR SYRIA, 13TH CENTURY
Of slender cylindrical slightly widening form, with rounded base and circular rimmed top, with bands of red applied and combed glass and wave patterned white marvered glass on surface. 11 cm. height
Of baluster form with short cylindrical neck and everted rim, painted underglaze in alternating black and blue horizontal band. 16 cm. height 12 cm. diam.
Estimate € 1000 - € 1500
Estimate € 1200 - € 1500
Lot 95 __________________________________________
Lot 98 _______________________________________
AN EARLY ISLAMIC GLASS BOTTLE EGYPT OR SYRIA, 7TH-8TH CENTURY
A MOULDED BOWL DECORATED WITH A MEDALLION, PERSIA 12TH-13TH CENTURY
With a gently flaring neck and tapering square body made in a very dark coloured glass appearing black and decorated with opaque white spiral trailing, combed and marvered into a festoon design 11 cm. height
With moulded decoration and blue and purple under a transparent glaze. 16 cm. diam. 9 cm. height. Estimate € 600 - € 800
Estimate € 1000 - € 1500
Lot 99 _______________________________________ Lot 96 __________________________________________
AN ELEGANT AYYUBID OR EARLY MAMLUK MARVERED GLASS JAR, EGYPT OR SYRIA, 12TH-13TH CENTURY Of bulbous form rising from short foot, the purple translucent glass body marvered with white threads in festooned oblique patterns. 7 cm. height
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Estimate € 1000 - € 1500
AN ISLAMIC NISHAPUR CALLIGRAPHIC POTTERY BOWL, EASTERN PERSIA, 10TH CENTURY
Pottery bowl, Nishapur, painted in black/brown on a cream ground, with Kufic script as band, black/brown rim. 7 by 21 cm. Estimate € 800 - € 1000
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Lot 100 ______________________________________
Lot 102 ______________________________________
A NISHAPUR POTTERY BOWL PERSIA, 10TH CENTURY
AN ABBASID CALLIGRAPHIC POTTERY CUP, MESOPOTAMIA 9TH CENTURY
Earthenware with white slip painted with colored brown manganese and red clay under a transparent lead-based glaze. An elegant truncated cone-shaped bowl, similar to the preceding lot. Smaller and with more contained decoration, the palmette motifs are joined to a ewer in the centre, with the Kufic inscription: اهلل اهلل اهلل. God Balances the lower margin. Two winged palmettes and two small flowers complete the composition that is perfectly balanced. The representation of the ewer is not very common for this type of pottery and thus could may well have been used in a ritual context. 29 cm. diam. 10 cm. height
The body covered with an opaque white glaze, with two Kufic lines around the body. Inscriptions possibly the repeat of ‘abdahu, ‘His (God’s) servant’. Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
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Estimate € 3000 - € 5000 CATALOGUE NOTE A similar pottery bowl at the Louvre Museum Lot 101 ______________________________________
A SAMANID SLIP-PAINTED POTTERY BOWL, PERSIA, 10TH CENTURY
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Of conical form on a short foot, decorated in tomato red, manganese and ochre on a cream ground with abstract vegetal designs consisting of large palmettes and split palmettes, the well with a flowerhead and a band of cable design. 21 cm. diam. 7 cm. height. Estimate € 1000 - € 1500
Lot 103 _________________________________________________________________________________
A PAIR OF SAMANID SLIP-PAINTED POTTERY BOWLS, PERSIA, 9TH-10TH CENTURY Of conical shape, decorated in red, mustard, and manganese brown outline on a cream ground. 19.5 cm diam. 8 cm. height Estimate € 1500 - € 2500
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Lot 105 _______________________________________
A NISHAPUR FIGURAL BUFFWARE POTTERY BOWL DEPICTING A WARRIOR, PERSIA, 10TH CENTURY
With sloping sides and upright rim, decorated in black, green and mustard-yellow, depicting a male figure with legs and arms astride, holding a shield and a sword. 9.5 cm. height, 22 cm. diam. Estimate € 1500 - € 2000
Lot 106 _______________________________________
A NISHAPUR POTTERY BOWL PERSIA, 10TH CENTURY
Lot 104 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A LARGE POTTERY BOWL, SAMANID, CENTRAL ASIA OR NORTH EAST PERSIA 10TH CENTURY
Earthenware with white slip, painted with brown manganese colored clay, under transparent glaze.main motifs are elaborate dark brown and green palmettes, 33 cm. diam. 13.5 cm. height
On a short foot, with rounded sides. The basin interior is awash with shades of brown and pale-yellow glaze that creates a colorful ground atop which a long-necked avian is presented between a pair of abstract petaloid forms. Fineline geometric shapes fill the areas around the black adornments and provide a sense of depth and character to this bowl. 9 cm. height, 27.5 cm. diam. Estimate € 1200 - € 1400
Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
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Lot 107 __________________________________
A BAMIYAN TURQUOISE GLAZED POTTERY BOWL, AFGHANISTAN, LATE 12TH-EARLY 13TH CENTURY
Of rounded form on short spreading foot, the interior moulded under the glaze with two large different lions prowling around the central roundel, on tight scrolling flowering and palmette vine ground, a line of manganese around the rim, the turquoise exterior with a band of manganese rope-pattern and occasional vertical stripes, intact, minimal fritting to rim, very slight iridescence. 16 cm. diam. 9.5 cm. height Estimate € 3000 - € 4000
Lot 109 _______________________________________________________________________________
FIVE BLACK AND TURQUOISE ‘DOME OF THE ROCK’ POTTERY TILES JERUSALEM, SECOND HALF 16TH CENTURY
Each of rectangular form, of repeating design consisting of a central quatrefoil palmette within a cusped medallion interspersed with stylized lotus with interlaced tendrils, in black, under transparent turquoise glaze. 10 by 7 cm. Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
Lot 108 ________________________________
A RARE POTTERY OIL LAMP, RAQQA, 13TH CENTURY
Decorated with a turquoise iridesence glaze and line work in black. 20 cm. height, 22 cm. width Estimate € 2000 - € 3000 Lot 110 _______________________________________________________________________________
A PAIR OF BAMIYAN MONOCHROME MOULDED POTTERY BOWLS, PERSIA 12TH-13TH CENTURY Of conical shape on a short foot in a turquoise glaze, the moulding consisting of tiger motifs and a central interlace design. 13 cm. diam. (2) 6 cm. height (2) Estimate € 4000 - € 6000
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Lot 111 _______________________________________________________________________________
A POST SASSANIAN TURQUOISE GLAZED POTTERY STORAGE JAR, PERSIA OR IRAQ, 7TH-8TH CENTURY
The egg-shaped jar, with three small handles, is covered entirely with a heavy dark-green glaze, which is common in Sassanid ceramic production. The decoration is based on a series of concentric circles in relief finished off in the middle with a motif of a stylised bunch of grapes, which is related to a widespread tradition of symbolic figures. Below the brim there is a geometric motif in relief made up of small rhombuses, The shape, decoration and technique used in the piece are evidence of the stylistic continuity between the late Sassanid and the early Islamic periods. The jar was probably intended to store foodstuffs.Through stylistic analysis. The shape and decoration of the jar, the technique used and the dark green glaze are all typical of Sassanid ceramics. 50 cm. CATALOGUE NOTE This type of alkaline-glazed pottery, intended for storage of food stuffs or drinking water, had been produced in kilns along the Upper Euphrates since at least the Parthian period continuing through the Umayyad and early Abbasid periods, with subtle changes in shape and design. The distinctive silvery iridescence offset by the turquoise glaze only adds to their decorative appeal. Their story is also fascinating, for examples have been found as far afield as Fujian province in China. A tomb at Lotus Peak on the outskirts of Fuzhou, dedicated to one Liu Hua, who died in A.D. 930, wife of King Wang Yangjun of the Min Kingdom (A.D. 909-945), yielded three similar turquoise-glazed jars, testament to the trading activities of Persian and Arab merchants along the southern coast of China at this time. Estimate € 8000 - € 12.000
Lot 112 _____________________________________
A SEATED FIGURINE ON A FLYING ANIMAL, RAQQA, SYRIA 12TH-13TH CENTURY Carved fritware painted seated figurine on a flying animal in an opaque a turquoise glaze. 14 cm. height 11 cm. width Estimate € 800 - € 1200
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Lot 113 ______________________________________
TWO NISHAPUR SPLASHWARE PLATES, PERSIA, 10TH CENTURY
Red earthenware with a white slip, splashes of green, yellow and brown in a transparent glaze 24 - 22 cm. diam. Estimate € 1000 - € 1400
Lot 116 _____________________________________
A PAIR OF BAMIYAN MONOCHROME MOULDED POTTERY BOWLS, PERSIA 12TH-13TH CENTURY
Of conical shape on a short foot in a turquoise glaze, the moulding consisting of tiger motifs and a central interlace design. 13 cm. diam. (2) 6 cm. height (2) Estimate € 800 - € 1000
Lot 114 ____________________________________________
AN UMAYYAD MONOCHROME POTTERY BOWL SYRIA OR MESOPOTAMIA 8TH CENTURY
Decorated in a green glaze, the exterior impressed with bands of floral rosettes, dots and stripes, divided by carved horizontal border lines, the interior decorated in a green glaze with a group of three dark green glazed splash lines to one side. 19 cm. diam. 10 cm. height Estimate € 1200 - € 1400
Lot 115 ____________________________________________
A BAMIYAN SGRAFFIATO POTTERY BOWL, PERSIA, 12TH CENTURY
Of rounded form with flaring sides and upright rim, scratched through a white slip and splashed in manganese and green with star-shaped rosettes, one with normal palmettes between the star points the other with split palmettes, on a reserve of scale pattern and hatching. 17 cm. diam. 9 cm. height
Lot 117 _________________________________________
A TURQUOISE GLAZED POTTERY EWER, PROBABLY NISHAPUR 12TH CENTURY
With a thick, turquoise glaze. The glaze covers all but the lower end of the body and the raised concave foot. The overall form of the body is piriform with a corseted neck and a slightly flared mouth with unpronounced rim. With an inscription. Safety, happiness and blessing السالمة والسعادة والبركة 19 cm. height Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
Estimate € 800 - € 1500
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Lot 118 __________________________________________________________________________________
Lot 119 __________________________________________________________________________________
Of rounded form with everted lip on short foot, the cream ground decorated in cobalt-blue, and green with four lines of inscription in the well. 24.5 cm diam
Of shallow form, painted in cobalt and black in a cream ground, with intersecting radiating bands, six with inscriptions alternating with six of scrolling foliage, small water weed motifs and foliate spandrels between. 10 cm. height, 22 cm. diam.
AN ABBASID CALLIGRAPHIC POTTERY BOWL, MESOPOTAMIA, 9TH CENTURY
Estimate € 6000 - € 8000
A KASHAN POTTERY BOWL, PERSIA, 12TH-13TH CENTURY
Estimate € 5000 - € 7000
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Lot 120 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A FIGURAL ABBASID LUSTRE BOWL, MESOPOTAMIA OR CENTRAL ASIA 9TH CENTURY
Of rounded form with everted lip on short foot, the pale tin glaze painted in tones of lustre with a central two figures They dance with each other wearing a striped robes and carrying in raised hands a , scrolling floral vine to either side, with two a stringed instruments that looks like, al Oud music instruments the rim with alternating green and brown lobes, the exterior with diagonal rows of green and brown splashes. With an Oxford TL test. 6 cm. height, 20 cm. diam.
Lot 121 ______________________________________________________________________________
AN ABBASID LUSTRE POTTERY BOWL, IRAQ, 9TH CENTURY
Earthenware; polychrome lustre-painted on opaque white glaze. Standing on a low foot, its curved sides terminate in an everted lip. Polychrome painting with olive green, yellow gold, and copper red. 7 cm. height, 21 cm. diam. Estimate € 8000- € 10.000
Estimate € 15.000- € 20.000
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Lot 123 ______________________________________
AN ISLAMIC BOWL DEPICTING A BIRD, SULTANABAD WARE 12TH-13TH CENTURY
A ceramic bowl with inscription on the outside. 20.5 cm. diam. Estimate € 800 - € 1200
Lot 124 ______________________________________
A KASHAN EWER, PERSIA 12TH-13TH CENTURY
Lot 122 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A FATIMID LEED-GLAZED JAR, EGYPT, 10TH-11TH CENTURY
Of pear-shaped form with everted foot, broad flattened shoulder and a narrow slightly everted neck, the shoulder, neck and upper body incised with ring and hatched designs, partially dipped in copper green lead glaze. 23 cm. height
Of globular form rising to a thin neck with a wide rim, with a curvilinear handle and spout, the body decorated with underglaze cobalt blue stripes. 20 cm. height Estimate € 1500 - € 2000
PROVENANCE. With Fratelli Molayem, Approdo Galleria, Rome, from at least 1969. Private Collection, Turin, acquired from the above in 1976 CATALOGUE NOTE Exhibited “Islamic Ceramics of the Persian Middle Ages” Turin, Approdo Galleria, March 22nd - April 14th 1969. Estimate € 5000 - € 8000
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Lot 126 ____________________________________________
A SAFAVID BLUE, BLACK AND WHITE EWER, PERSIA, 18TH CENTURY
Of globular form rising to a thin neck with a wide rim, decorated in underglaze blue with large flowerheads surrounded by leafy palmettes, with an upper band of smaller flowerheads with scrolls, the neck with flower motifs, the rim with leafy scrolls and the interior with four-dot patterns, with a curvilinear handle and spout, decorated with pseudo-Chinese characters, signed on the reverse. 19.5 cm. Estimate € 4000 - € 6000
Lot 125 ___________________________________________________________________________________
AN OPENWORK GILT BRONZE BANNER STAFF HEAD (ALAM) OTTOMAN, TURKEY, 15TH-16TH CENTURY
Alam rising from a conical shaft. The hollow palmetto-shaped head, engraved in Kufic script on both sides, with a motto proclaiming: ‘There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.’ 60 cm. height, 20 cm. width Inscriptions. With a probably later engraved inscription. ‘The alam of the house of Hazrat Abbas, uncle of the Messenger of God Muhammad Sheikh Syed Sebaei Abu Bakr-Omar-Ali-Hassan -Hussein -Abbas-Fatema’.
Lot 127 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A MUGHAL JADE BOWL AND COVER, 18TH CENTURY
Supported on a later silver gilt and enamel stand modelled as two dragons. 15.5 cm. width, 11 cm. height. Estimate € 8000 - € 12.000
Estimate € 10.000 - € 14.000
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Lot 128 ___________________________________________________
A TALISMANIC SCROLL, ANDALUSIA 11TH-12TH CENTURY
Arabic manuscript on paper, written in naskh and in the angular Kufic script in black and red. 135 by 15.5 cm. Surah Al-Ikhlas is written 12 times in Al-Kofi red font as a frame for the entire scroll. Scroll’s sections: 1.Description of Mecca is honored by Allah (God). This part includes verses 97-98 from Al Imran’s Surah and part of verse 185 after starting by the name of Allah (God). 2.Verses 3 to 5 from Al- Mulk’s Surah to keep pains and illnesses away. 3.Description of the doomsday, verses 105 to 109 from Taha’s Surah. 4.Verses to enhance safety from Al-Furqan’s Surah 22 to 24. 5.Tongue’s function and its acceptance which includes verses 22 to 26 from Al-Ma’idah’s Surah. 6.Demise of enemies, verses from Al- Nahel’s Surah 10 to 14. 7.Verses to facilitate dystocia, this part includes interpretation of verse 34 from Luqman’s Surah. 8.Verses to praise the prophet, verse 56 from Surah Al- Ahzab. 9.Verse to tranquilize children during their sleep, verses 21 to 27 from Al-Kahf ’s Surah. 10.Verses to spread love and relief, and it includes some supplications. 11.Verses to overcome remorse enhanced by the commentary on verse 88 from Hud’s Surah. 12.Supplications for dropsy with the commentary on verse 54 from Al-A’raf ’s Surah. 13.Musa and Yahia, this section is marked by a drawing of Musa’s stick snatching the sorcerer’s talismans. The drawing is surrounded by verses 15 to 85 from Taha’s Surah with the words Mohammad, Taha, and the Star of David on the left side. All sections were written in black Nasikh font regardless of the rules of this font.There are three decorative drawings in the form of beacons, niches, and domes. The six-pointed star, a familiar symbol in Islamic art, is usually called ‘Solomon’s seal’. Estimate € 8000- € 12.000
Lot 129 ______________________________________________________________________________________
AN ISLAMIC MANUSCRIPT ‘HADITH ARBAEIN’, A PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S FORTY PROVERBS WRITTEN BY ZAYN AL-ABIDIN BIN MUHAMMAD AL-KATIB, AQQUYUNLU IRAN, DATED 863 AH/1458 AD
Arabic manuscript on paper, 10 leaves plus two fly-leaves, one in the beginning and one in the end. The manuscript is handwritten by the writer in Naskh and Thuluth scripts translating the Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad into Persian. The Hadith in golden color, while the annotations and comments in black ink color, plus the geometric shapes in red ink with black triangles mixed with gold. At the end of the manuscript are two calligraphy hadith panels in the thuluth script. Zayn al-’Abidin ibn Muhammad al-Katib al-Shirazi fl. 15th C. (Persian) calligrapher. 11 by 17 cm. CATALOGUE NOTE Other records of his works found in (Juz III) Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, Dated 888 AH inv.no.Ms.1502, (Arberry 1967, p.45) Estimate € 6000 - € 8000
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Lot 130 ___________________________________________________________________________________
AL-MUKHTASAR MIN KITAB AL-MOUAFQA BEEN AL-BAYT WA SAHABAH BY AL-ZAMAKHSHARI
An Arabic manuscript on paper, 71 leaves with 31 lines to each page, written in black naskh script. Catchwords and titles in red ink, the upper part of the first page with gold and striking blue decoration. Seal impressions on first and last page, with brown leather binding. 17 by 25 cm. The author: Abu al-Qasim Mahmud ibn Umar al-Zamakhshari, (1075 – 1144 ) known as al-Zamakhshari, or Jar Allah, a medieval Muslim scholar of Persian origin, a great Hanafite jurist, Mu’tazilite and theologian. He studied at Bukhara and Samarkand, before he travelled to Baghdad, was a philologist of the Arabic language. He wrote primarily in Arabic, occasionally in Persian. Al-Zamakhsharī earned the laqab ‘Jar-Allah’ (God’s neighbor) for the years he spent in Mecca before he finally returned to Khwarezm. He compiled all the authentic and good hadiths about the good relation and the mutual respect between Ahl al-Bayt and the Companions of the prophet. Then, Sheikh Al-Zamakhshari, in this book, deleted the Isnads form the Hadiths. Estimate € 4000- € 6000
Lot 131 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOUNDING OF SEXUAL MEDICINE (FI AL-BAH), TWO ARABIC THESIS AND PERSIAN ANNOTATIONS ON MEDICINE IN ONE BINDING DATED 20 SHAWWAL 896 AH/8 AUGUST 1491 AD
Arabic manuscript on paper of 19 leaves with 18 lines to each page, in naskh script with black and red ink. 1. A short thesis on Medicine, Arabic, 8 pages (page 6-14) 2. Risalah fi tarkib adwiyah al-bah (A thesis on Pharmaceutical compounding of sexual medicines), 24 pages (page 14-38). 3. Annotations on medicine, Persian, 5 pages (page 1-5). 18 by 14 cm. CATALOGUE NOTE Avicenna ( 980 – June 1037) was a Persian polymath who is regarded as one of the most significant physicians, astronomers, thinkers and writers of the Islamic Golden Age, and the father of early modern medicine. His most famous works are The Book of Healing, a philosophical and scientific encyclopaedia, and The Canon of Medicine, a medical encyclopaedia, which became a standard medical text at many medieval universities and remained in use as late as 1650. Estimate € 4000- € 6000
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Lot 132 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A MANUSCRIPT ON MEDICINE THAT CONTAINS SEVERAL IMPORTANT LETTERS ON TREATMENT AND MEDICINE
Arjozat Al-Tibb, Sheikh Al-Raisi Ibn Sina is concerned with the scientific part which was composed poetically, but the second part of this piece is concerned with the work and its division in addition to some anatomical issues about the pulse and the urine.The Aminia letter in the upper arm contains ten chapters which were composed by the Secretary of State Ibn Al-Hassan Hebat Allah Ibn Said Ibn Ibrahim. He was a very famous Christian poet and the most trusted doctor of this period.The other letter that this manuscript contains is about the qualities ( characteristics, modality) of burning, namely, the description of burning what must be burned and washing what must be washed, besides the characteristics of burning the metal objects such as gold, silver, steel, copper, and lead.
Lot 133 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A LARGE MAMLUK QURAN, 14TH-15TH CENTURY
A complete Quran manuscript on paper, 424 pages, 11 lines to the page, written in Tawqi or Muhaqqaq script in black ink, opening illuminated double-page with Quran title in white Thuluth reserved against red and blue-ground panels with gold flowers leaves, vocalization, diacritics and beginning of each surah in red color, contemporary moroccan mamluk brown binding with pressure-moulded doublures, outer boards with a central medallion on one side, with flap. 26 by 38 cm. Estimate € 8000- € 12.000
In this manuscript, there is a letter that tackles the provisions on washing medicine. This letter was written by Al Hassan Al-Mutatabib, Ibn Bahram. - The manuscript contains a letter on treating the poisoned people in general. - The letter from the Al-Kasserine book is also part of this manuscript, and it handles the exchanging of the medicine based on alphabetical order, namely, from A to Z. The manuscript consists of 93 leaves, 19 lines and in brown leather binding , 22 by 16 cm. Estimate € 2000- € 3000
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Lot 135 _______________________________________
A PURPLE ,BLACK AND GOLD FOLIO, INDIA, DECCAN, BIJAPUR OR GOLCONDA, CIRCA 1600 Richly decorated in purple , black and gold, the central panel of the page with an elaborate tree and the second with foliage and birds, surrounded by identical borders filled with wild animals frolicking in the forest, 17.5 by 10.5 cm. Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
Lot 134 __________________________________________________________________________________
Lot 136 _______________________________________
Arabic manuscript on paper, 19 leaves with 11 lines to each page, written in thuluth, naskh and muhaqqaq script. The bismallah of each surah written in muhaqqaq script, each page with 3 lines in large gold and blue script and 8 lines in black naskh script, all reserved in cloud bands against a gilt ground. Gold verse roundel markers outlined in black, ruled in gold borders, the outer margin with gilt floral scrolls, with a later morocco leather binding. Copied by abdukader bin abdulwahab alhusyni. Text panel: 6 by 12 cm. Quran: 12 by 19 cm.
Arabic manuscript on paper, written in large gold floriated Kufic and thuluth script, ruled in two gold borders. The outer margin is decorated with an illuminated floral pattern over a black background. 22 by 15 cm.
AN INDIAN MUGHAL QURAN SECTION, EARLY 17TH CENTURY
Estimate € 2500 - € 3500
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A MUGHAL GOLD AND BLACK FOLIO, DECCAN, 17TH CENTURY
Estimate € 3000 - € 5000
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Lot 139 _______________________________________
A MUGHAL IVORY PENDANT
An ivory pendant with pierced finial and engraved with the text” ماشاء اهلل وال حول وال قوة إال باهلل العلي العظيم, Masha Allah, there is no might or power except with Great Allah” in naskh script. 1129AH/ 1716AD Size: 7.5/5 cm Weight: 25.30 grams. Estimate € 3000 - € 4000
Lot 137 _______________________________________________________________________________
AL-SHEIKH JALAL AL-DIN SUYUTI, AL-BAHJAH ALMURDIAH FI SHARH AL-ALFIYYAH, COPIED 18TH CENTURY
A manual on Arabic grammar. Arabic manuscript on paper, with 20 lines l to each page and written in black naskh script, with occasional marginal commentaries, with black leather binding. A book on grammar in which Al-Suyuti explains the Alfiya of Ibn Malik, the famous Alfiyyah in the science of grammar. Alfiyya Ibn Malik, also called “Khulasat- The Conclusion” is a poetic text composed by Imam Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Malik Al-Tai Al-Jiani, one of the most important grammatical and linguistic systems, due to the attention it received from scholars and writers who comment on it, with explanations and footnotes. 15 by 23 cm.
Lot 140 ___________________________________
A FINE CARVED JADE PENDANT
A jade pendant of heart shape, engraved with the text أية الكرسي من سورة البقرةAyat al-Kursi from Surah Al-Baqarah” in naskh script . 13th AH- 18th/19th AD century size: 5 by 4.5 cm Estimate € 2500 - € 3000
Estimate € 600- € 800
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Lot 141 ________________________________________________________________________________
Lot 142 _______________________________________
Lot 143 ________________________________
Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper Text: Quran 2 surah Al-Baqarah v.255. The text of the Throne Verse begins at the horse’s head; the first half of the verse is written in the area in front of the saddle; the second half of the verse is written in the area behind the saddle, and the final words are spread across the area below the saddle from the hind quarters to just above the vertical front leg. 25.5 by 35 cm.
Gouache and gold on paper, inner border with gold floral motifs on a dark blue ground, outer border with stylized floral sprays in gold on a brown ground. 35.5 by 22 cm.
Painting: 23 by 13.5 cm. Folio: 31.5 by 19.5 cm.
THE THRONE VERSE (AYAT AL-KURSI) IN THE FORM OF A CALLIGRAPHIC HORSE, INDIA, DECCAN, BIJAPUR, 19TH CENTURY
Estimate € 2000- € 3000
A MUGHAL EMPEROR STANDING IN A LANDSCAPE, 19TH CENTURY
A PERSIAN MINIATURE DEPICTING A GROUP DURING PRAYER, LATE 18TH CENTURY
Estimate € 2000- € 3000
Estimate € 1000- € 1500 Lot 144 ________________________________
A QAJAR MINIATURE, PERSIA 19TH CENTURY
Gouache colours on paper, laid down on an album page, depicting a lady holding her baby on her back, wearing a blue robe and holding flowers in her left hand. Estimate € 600- € 800
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Lot 147 _______________________________
AN INDIAN BIRD MINIATURES COMPANY SCHOOL, 20TH CENTURY 31.5 by 20 cm. (2) Estimate € 600- € 800
Lot 148 ____________________________________________
AN INDIAN BIRD MINIATURES COMPANY SCHOOL, 20TH CENTURY 31.5 by 20 cm. (2) Estimate € 600- € 800 Lot 145 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A POLYCHROME LACQUER BOOK BINDING, QAJAR, PERSIA, 19TH CENTURY
With central rectangular panels decorated with spiraling leaf-like designs, the borders with orange cusped cartouches on green ground, each register between minor black and gold. 31 by 22 cm. Estimate € 2000- € 3000 Lot 146 ____________________________________________
AN ILLUSTRATED LEAF FROM A MANUSCRIPT OF FIRDAUSI’S SHAHNAMA, SHIRAZ, PERSIA, 16TH CENTURY
Depicting archers arriving at the walls of a fortress, gouache heightened with gold on paper, text written in two lines of nastaliq script, with gilded blue borders design. Painting: 22.5 by 15.5 cm. Folio: 31 by 21 cm.
Lot 149 _________________________________
ROASTING AT THE MARKET, QAJAR, PERSIA, 19TH CENTURY Painting 16.5 cm. by 20.5 cm. Estimate € 1500- € 2000
Estimate € 2000- € 3000
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121
Lot 150 _____________________________________________________________________________________
Lot 151 _____________________________________________________________________________________
Decorated in the mosaic-tile technique with turquoise, cobalt blue and dark blue (or manganese) sections set in a complex geometric interwoven design. 22.5 by 26 cm. max.
Comprising four eight-pointed tiles, decorated in blue, outlined in cuerda seca on a white ground with split-palmette interlace. 9.4 cm. diam. max.(10)
PROVENANCE Christie’s, 29 April 2003, lot 30 Formerly in a German private collection since the early 1990s
CATALOGUE NOTE Similar star tiles were offered for sale at Christie’s, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 26th April 2005, lot 99 and Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, 28th April 2004, lot 120.
Estimate € 6000 - € 8000
PROVENANCE Private collection, Germany
A SELJUK MOSAIC TILE FRAGMENT, ANATOLIA,14TH CENTURY
A GROUP OF TIMURID CUERDA SECA POTTERY STAR TILES, PERSIA, LATE 15TH CENTURY
Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
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123
Lot 153 ____________________________________________________________________________________
AN IZNIK POTTERY TILE, WEST ANATOLIA, CIRCA 1530
Of rectangular form, the cobalt-blue ground with a meandering tendril linking a serrated leaf overpainted by flowers, a part rosette at each end issuing small floral sprays, repaired break. 12.5 by 24.3 cm. CATALOGUE NOTE An identical tile is in the Sadberk Hanim Museum, Istanbul (Altun, Ara, Carswell, John and Oney, Gonul: Sadberk Hanim Museum Turkish Tiles and Ceramics, Istanbul, 1991, no.I.52, p.38). PROVENANCE Christies London, 23 April 2002, lot 186. Estimate € 1000 - € 1200
Lot 152 ____________________________________________________________________________________
AN OTTOMAN WOODEN MOTHER-OF-PEARL AND TORTOISE SHELL INLAID HILYA, TURKEY OR SYRIA, EARLY 20TH CENTURY
The text to the centre in naskh script describes the physical appearance of the Prophet Muhammad, inlaid with mother of pearl on a tortoise shell ground, surrounded by three border enclosing the 99 Names of Allah. Six roundels with ‘Allah, Muhammad and the four Rashidun’. 100 by 50 cm. Estimate € 2000 - € 2000
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Lot 154 ________________________________________
A MAMLUK BLUE AND WHITE POTTERY BOWL, SYRIA 14TH-15TH CNTURY
Depicting a mosque with minarets and a number of suspended lamps. 22.5 cm. diam. Estimate € 4000- € 6000
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Lot 155 ___________________________________________________________________________________
Lot 156 ____________________________________________________________________________________
A SUZANI, NURATA REGION, UZBEKISTAN, 19TH CENTURY
A SUZANI, SILK EMBROIDERED PANEL, BUKHARA, UZBEKISTAN 19TH CENTURY
The cream ground embroidered with floral sprays arranged around a central floral rosette, the borders with large flowers within large serrated leaves. 267 by 162 cm.
Of rectangular form, the central field decorated with a series of floral roundels amidst scrolling stylized leaves, surrounded by a border of large flower-heads interspersed with leafy sprigs, lined. 225 by 160 cm.
PROVENANCE Private collection, Germany
PROVENANCE Private collection, Germany
Estimate € 5000- € 7000
Estimate € 7000- € 9000
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Lot 158 _____________________________________________________________________________________
A COAT OF ARMS OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE, 19TH CENTURY
A Green velvet panel embroidered in gilt metal-threads with the coat of arms of the Ottoman Empire, the reverse side with Kalimaat Al-Tawhid in large thuluth script, both sides with four small crescents. 100 by 120 cm. Estimate € 1000- € 1200
Lot 159 ___________________________________
A RARE TIMURID HARDSTONE TOMB FRAGMENT CENTRAL ASIA CIRCA 1450-1500
Black basalt, of square form, the sides and edges carved with chinoiserie arabesques, the central panel with a pseudo-Kufic design. 32 by 29 by 6 cm. Lot 157 _____________________________________________________________________________________ A SILK CARPET QOM, PERSIA, 20TH CENTURYW Wth a hunting scene. 225 by 215 cm. Estimate € 2000- € 3000
128
CATALOGUE NOTE For comparable examples, see Thomas W. Lentz and Glenn D. Lowry, Timur and the Princely Vision, Los Angeles, 1989, fig. 70 p. 209. Estimate € 3000 - € 5000
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Lot 160 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A GROUP OF NINE FATIMID UNGLAZED POTTERY WATER FILTERS, EGYPT 10TH -11TH CENTURY Of circular form, one pierced with inscription, the rest with floral and geometric designs. The largest 7.3 cm. diam. ( 9)
CATALOGUE NOTE Filters of this type were originally from the tops of water jugs. For other groups of water filters, see Tresors Fatimides du Caire, Exhibition Catalogue, Institut du Monde Arabe, 28th April-30th August 1998, no. 140; and also two similar groups were sold through these rooms (Bonhams, Islamic Works of Art, 13th-14th October 1999, lots 126 and 127). PROVENANCE Private collection, Germany Estimate € 1200- € 1500
Lot 161 ___________________________________________________________________________________
AN INDIAN IVORY PACHISI SET, 17TH CENTURY
Comprises sixteen domed ivory pieces (narads) and two ivory long dice (usually called pasas). The pieces are of characteristically dome-shaped solid ivory, engraved at the top with circular grooves which hold red, black green and yellow colored lac – a color for each of the four players. 3.5 cm. high, 3 cm. diam. (16) PROVENANCE Private collection, Germany Estimate € 1500- € 2000
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Lot 162 ____________________________________
Lot 165 ____________________________________
Of oval shape, the seal is carved on top with the text “ أليس اهلل بكاف عبده, Is not Allah Sufficient for His servant” in thuluth script. 11th AH-18th AD century
An agate seal of oval shape, set in a silver ring with claws and engraved with the text محمد Muhhamed “ in kufic script. 6th AH-13th AD century Size: 22 Weight: 13.47 grams.
A ROCK CRYSTAL SEAL
Size: 5/3 cm Weight: 26.05 grams.
AN AGATE SEAL SILVER RING
Estimate € 1500 - € 2000
Estimate € 1000 - € 1500
Lot 163 ____________________________________
A CRYSTAL ROCK SEAL PENDANT
A Crystal pendant of square shape engraved with the text ال إله إال اهللKalimaat al-Tawhid “ in kufic script. 4th AH-11th AD century Size: 3.2/1.5 Weight: 11.80 grams.
Lot 166 ____________________________________
AN AGATE SEAL GOLD RING
An agate seal of oval shape, set in a gold ring and engraved with the text مال جالل الدين بن مالMullah Jalaluddin bin Mulla “ in nastali’q script. 13th AH/19th-early 20th AD century Size: 21 Weight: 12.78 grams.
Estimate € 900 - € 1200
Lot 164 __________________________________________
Estimate € 1000 - € 1200
AGATE STAMP-SEAL
An agate seal of rectangular shape with rounded corners, engraved in Kufic script with the text حسبنا اهلل ونعم الوكيل استغفر اهلل والحول وال قوة إال باهلل سبحان اهلل والحمد هلل وال إله إال اهلل واهلل أكبرFor us Allah sufficeth, and He is the best disposer of affairs, Forgive me, and there is no might nor power except with Allah, Glory be to Allah, praise be to Allah, and there is no god but Allah, and Allah is greater”. 3rd AH-7th AD century Length : 2.2 cm Weight: 7.72 grams. Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
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Lot 167 ____________________________________
A BRONZE SEAL RING
A bronze ring with oval seal shape, engraved with the text ال إله إال اهلل وحده ال شريك له عضد الدولة Adud al-Dawla surrounded by kalimaat al-Tawhid” in Kufic script. 7th AH-13th AD century Size: 2 Weight: 15.85 grams. Estimate € 400 - € 600
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Lot 168 ___________________________________________
Lot 170 ____________________________________
The cast flask of drop form with trefoil pendant and turned concave cylindrical neck, engraved on both flat faces with Arabic inscriptions in foliated Kufic. 10.5 cm. height
Of tear drop form, with stamped thin gold sheets sandwiching a metal plate, inscribed on one side with the Throne Verse, Quran II (surah Al-Baqarah), v.255, in thuluth script on floral ground. 8.5 by 6.5 cm.
A FATIMID SILVER MEDICINE FLASK WITH KUFIC INSCRIPTION, SYRIA OR EGYPT, 10TH-11TH CENTURY
AN OTTOMAN GOLD PENDANT WITH SEED PEARL DECORATION, TURKEY, 19TH CENTURY
Inscription in Arabic al-’izz wa al-kirama/li-man talaba al-salama ‘Might and Honour to the one who seeks Health’
Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
Estimate € 1000 - € 1500
Lot 169 ________________________________
Lot 171 ____________________________________
11 by 11 cm.
15 by 9.5 cm
Estimate € 700 - € 900
Estimate € 800 - € 1200
AN INSCRIBED MOTHER-OF PEARL SHELL NACRE, PERSIA OR INDIA, 19TH CENTURY
134
A JADE HILTED HORSE HEAD DAGGER (KHANJAR), NORTHERN INDIA, 19TH CENTURY
135
Lot 172 ________________________________________________________________________________
AN OTTOMAN SILK AND METAL-THREAD CURTAIN, WITH THE TUGHRA OF SULTAN MAHMUD II (1223-55 AH/1808-39 AD)
Of rectangular form, the green silk ground applied with red and orange cartouches and roundels, embroidered with silver and silver-gilt metal threads, with central roundels below a calligraphic band and roundel at peak, the tughra of Sultan Mahmud flanked by two spiralling columns and framed by a pattern of foliate and floral motifs. 101 by 204.5 cm. RROVENANCE Sotheby’s London, 7 October 2009, lot 62 CATALOGUE NOTE Inscriptions in the roundel: A hadith of the Prophet. In the middle panel: Quran surah Muhammad (XLVII), parts of 19, followed by ‘Muhammad the Messenger of God’, followed by the signature of Sultan Mahmud in tughra form: ‘Mahmud the conqueror son of ‘Abd al-Hamid wrote it’.In the two roundels: The shahada.With the tughra of Sultan Mahmud II (A.H. 1223-55/A.D. 1808-39). Estimate € 8000 - € 12.000
3 Lot 173 ____________________________________
A MARBLE CARVING, CIRCA 17TH CENTURY
La hawl Wala Quat ‘Iilaa Biallah Aleazim’.’ There Is No Power Except With God’. 20 cm. diam. Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
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Lot 174 ____________________________
A GREEN KAABA KISWA TEXTILE, TURKEY, 19TH20TH CENTURY
A fragment of hanging panel of the inner kiswa, with an inscribed weave in cream color over a light green silk ground. Embellished with a prominent inscription within a broad border in thuluth script of praise of the prophet ‘Prayer and peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah’. Below with a narrow band containing prayers for the four righteous caliphs Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman and ‘Ali as well as for the companions of the Prophet. At the top with a narrow band enclosing ‘O Allah, bless the Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of Prophets and Messengers’. Estimate € 1500- € 2000
Lot 205 ________________________________________________________________________________________
A RARE FRITWARE OPENWORK DECORATED RETICULATED EWER WITH ROOSTER HEAD, PERSIA, 13TH CENTURY An ewer with rooster head Iran, Kashan, early 13th century. Item exemplifying the double shell technique, made up of an internal container meant to hold liquids and an external openwork shell. Pear shaped body in silicic paste resting on a disc, upper end shaped like a rooster’s head and molded handled with tail’s feathers in high relief. The body is characterized by a fine openwork, created through a coeval metal working technique. The decoration follows a pattern of vegetal motifs interspersed with animals painted in black. Calligraphic inscription on black enclosed by a reserve close to the lower margin of the item. The item is covered with the typical turquoise glaze which leaves only the foot bare. The item is accompanied by the results of a thermoluminescence dating test. 28 cm. height CATALOGUE NOTE A very similar item can be seen at the Victoria and Albert Museum of London, Acc. No. C.170-1977, while another with a different shape is part of the Al-Sabah collection and was published in Watson, Ceramics from Islamic Lands, Thames and Hudson 2004, p. 341. Lastly, another very similar item is on exhibit at the Louvre in Paris, Acc. Nr.MAO 442 Estimate € 20.000 - € 30.000
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Lot 175 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A BLACK KAABA KISWAH TEXTILE FRAGMENT, CIRCA 1960
A fragment of the inner curtain of sacred kiswa for the inner wall of the Kabaa with an inscribed weave in silver-colored silk over a dark black ground. Embellished with undulating bands running from the beginning to the end of the cloth enclosing different inscriptions. The inscriptions: -The prominent inscription of ‘Takbir, Allahu akbar’. -Kalimaat al-Tawhid, ‘There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his Prophet’. -‘I gratefully declare and believe Allah to be devoid of any deficiencies, I declare and believe the Omnipotent Allah is free of every defect’. 161 by 144 cm. PROVENANCE Private collection, Germany Estimate € 1200- € 1500
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Lot 176 _____________________________________________________________________________________
AN OTTOMAN METAL-THREAD CURTAIN OF THE HOLY KAABA DOOR (BURQA) Of rectangular form, embroidered in silver and silver-gilt thread over a black silk ground, the surface broken into cartouches of various shapes and sizes containing inscriptions in naskh and thuluth, the interstices filled with vegetal designs, a large silver inscription halfway up on gilt embroidered ground enclosing Quran 48 surah Al-Fath or Triumph v. 27, Stylised further with four cartouches enclosing Ayat Al-Kursi “the throne verse of surah Al-Baqarah v.266. The upper section with archways stylised with mosque lamps and four small cartouches enclosing basmallah, above a rectangular cartouch enclosing Quran 17 surah Al-Isra v. 80. The middle section with two roundels enclosing surah al-Ikhlas and Quran 48 Al-Fath v. 29. In the tear-shaped hanging between the two panels the name of the Sultan Selim III with the dating 1205 AH in gilt thread on turqouise ground. On either side of door slip embroidered with surah al-Ikhlas, below two cartouches enclosing Quran 104 surah Quraysh with four verses. On both sides two panels containing prominent inscriptions in silver wires within a broad border of praise of the prophet ‘Prayer and peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah’. Below with a narrow band in gilt wires containing prayers for the four righteous caliphs Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman and ‘Ali as well as for the companions of the Prophet. The inner border is further stylised with cartouches enclosing surah al-Ikhlas and Quran verses, with floral motifs amongst a dense design of foliage. 490 by 222 cm. Estimate € 18.000 - € 22.000
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Lot 177 ______________________________________________
Lot 178 __________________________________________________________________________________
A KAABA KISWA TEXTILE, TURKEY 19TH-20TH CENTURY
AN OTTOMAN GILT EMBROIDERD HANGING BROCADE, TURKEY OR SYRIA EARLY 20TH CENTURY
A fragment of hanging panel of the inner kiswa, with an inscribed weave in cream color over a light silk ground. Embellished with a prominent inscription within a broad border in thuluth script of praise of the prophet ‘Prayer and peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah’. Below with a narrow band containing prayers for the four righteous caliphs Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman and ‘Ali as well as for the companions of the Prophet. At the top with a narrow band enclosing ‘O Allah, bless the Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of Prophets and Messengers’.
Rectangular form, heavily embroidered with gilt threads with a dense desgin of floral motifs and foliage. To the centre a roundel enclosing a Quran verse, surah al-Ahzaab v.56, flanked by four roundels enclosing the words “Allah, Muhammad, abu Bakr and Omar.
Estimate € 1500- € 2000
Estimate € 3000- € 5000 Lot 179 ______________________________
THE MAHMAL PASSING THROUGH CAIRO LATE 18TH CENTURY
The holy Camel when it passes along the town of Cairo in the very extraordinary annual procession preparatory to the setting forward of the great Caravan in the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. Under the tent are packed the embroidered coverings to adorn their sanctuaries in those cities. 40 by 28 cm Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
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Lot 180 __________________________________
TWO PRINTED GENERAL VIEWS OF MECCA AND MEDINA TURKEY, 1349 AH/1930 AD A general view of Mecca with the Kaaba in the centre surrounded by the maqams and zamzamwell, with houses of Mecca in the background. A general view of Medina with al-Masjid al-Nabawi surround by houses of al-Medina Turkey, Istanbul, 1349 AH/1930 AD Estimate € 1200- € 1500
Lot 181 __________________________________
A GENERAL VIEW OF MECCA 1882
A printed general view of Mecca during the Hajj, the Kabaa in the centre surrounded by the four Sunni Maqams, zamzam well. In the background houses of Mecca and the Qais mountain. Estimate € 1000- € 1200
Lot 182 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A LARGE OIL PAINTING, MECCA, 20TH CENTURY
Oil on canvas, depicting the Kaaba in al-Masjid al-Haram during the Hajj 153 by 114 cm. Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
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Lot 183 _____________________________________________________________________________________
A LARGE VIEW OF MEDINA, INDIA, LATE 19TH CENTURY
Gouache heightened with gold on paper, ruled in black and blue, with a thin green border. Depicting the holy Nabawi-Mosque surrounded by houses in Medina. 44 by 61 cm. CATALOGUE NOTE In style these paintings relate to others of Mecca and Medina done by Indian artists. The depiction of the buildings in these paintings, recall that found on Pahari paintings, see for instance a painting entitled ‘Krishna Espies Radha and the Gopis’ done in the Guler style in circa 1790-1800 (John Seyller and Jagdish Mittal, Pahari Paintings in the Jagdish and Kamla Mittal Museum of Indian Art, Hyderabad, 2014, fig.20, p.247). When he visited Mecca in 1853, Richard Burton wrote that a number of Indian artists there supported themselves by ‘drawing pictures of the holy shrines in pen and ink’ (Richard Burton, Personal Narrative of a pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah, London, 1893, p.341 quoted in Stephen Vernoit, Occidentalism, The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, London, 1997, p.33). These miniatures are probably of the type of work done by these artists.
Lot 184 _____________________________________________________________________________________
A LARGE KASHMIRI QURAN AMMA JUZ 30TH BY MUHAMMAD FADL AL-AFGHANI, 20TH CENTURY Arabic manuscript on paper, 26 leaves.with 2 fly-leaves, alternating pages with 6 lines or 17 lines. The first and last line in strong large thultuh blue script reserved in clouds on a gilt ground. The central line in large thultuh gold script outlined in black on a sky-blue ground. The other 14 lines arranged in two blocks of 7 lines, each of elegant smaller black naskh script reserved in clouds on gold ground, gold roundel verse markers outlined in black with blue dots, text within border excessively embellished with gold and polychrome decoration. Surah headings in white thuluth script on gilt ground decorated with gilt floral motifs. In deep brown morocco leather binding. Text: surah Al-Mulk, surah Nuh, surah Al-Muzammel, surah Al-Dahr, surah Nazia’at, surah Infitar and different small verses. 58 by 92 cm. Estimate € 4000 - € 6000
Estimate € 1000 - € 1200
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Lot 185 ______________________________________________
AN OTTOMAN METAL-THREAD CURTAIN OF THE DOOR OR BAB AL-SALAAM IN ALMASJID AL-HARAM
Of rectangular form, embroidered in silver and silver-gilt thread over a black silk ground, the surface broken into cartouches of various shapes and sizes containing inscriptions in naskh and thuluth script, the interstices filled with vegetal designs. The main design of consists of two large calligraphic mosque lamps framed by an arch with wreath and garlanded spandrels supported by twisted columns, enclosing wreaths and inscriptions with the tughra of Sultan Mahmud, further ruled by cartouches enclosing inscriptions and Arabesque scrolls. 300 by 375 cm. The inscriptions: Three lines of gilt-metal threads in thuluth script of Quran 59 surah Al-Hashr v-21-v.24 and Quran 33 surah Al-Ahzab v.41-.46. Within the roundels on green and red ground the names of ‘Ten Mubashrun/ the ten promised paradise’. The lamps enclosing the basnmallah and v.46 of surah Al-Hejr in mirror image and flanked by two roundels of ‘Allah and Muhammed’. Three roundels of foliage branches enclosing Kalimaat al-Tawhid and ‘This sitara of Bab al-Salaam’. On both sides in the half mihrab decoration Quran 48 surah Al-Fath v.27 and v.29 The border with cartouches enclosing invocations to Allah and praising the prophet. CATALOGUE NOTE Baab-As-Salaam is one of the gates at the Great Mosque of Mecca in Saudi Arabia meaning ‘Gate of Peace’. It has been a tradition for first time visitors to the mosques to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca through this gate. This gate is located in the stretch between Mount Safa and Marwaah. Estimate € 12.000 - € 15.000
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Lot 186 _______________________________________________________________________________
A COMPLETE ‘THE KORAN; COMMONLY CALLED THE ALCORAN OF MOHAMMED’
Two volumes, ‘new edition’, folding plan of Mecca, 3 further tables (2 folding), offsetting, translated by George Sale, bookplate to front pastedown, contemporary calf gilt, loss to spine of vol. I, 8vo, for J. Walker et al., 1812. Estimate € 800 - € 1200 Lot 188 _______________________________________________________________________________ Lot 187 _____________________________________
A HAJJ SOUVENIR ALBUM OF BLACK AND WHITE PRINTED PHOTO CARDS, CIRCA 1950
A Hajj souvenir album with twenty-four (24) black and white printed photo cards, the sepia ink title on paper reading The Views of The Two Noble Shrines (Mecca and Medina), The Order of Hajj and Pilgrimage, made by Amir Meyman, Medina ‘the Enlgihtened’, each photo card showing important landmarks of the pilgrimage sites, all accompanied by descriptive and identifying captions, 9.5 by 15.5 cm. Estimate € 600 - € 800
150
A TRAVELLER’S TALISMANIC COMPENDIUM, SIGNED BY AHMED RESMIZADE, OTTOMAN TURKEY, DATED 1260 AH/1844 AD
Arabic manuscript on paper, comprising 32 folding panels, written in red and black naskh, thuluth and Kufic script, decorated in polychrome heightened with gold, numerous diagrams and illustrations in various forms. 50 by 50 cm. A list of the manuscript’s contents are as follows: Grids containing the Beautiful Names of God and the Names of the Prophet Muhammad, squares containing words and verses from surahs, the hilyeh of the Prophet, a circle with the names of the companions. There are also numerous illustrations, including depictions of the Mosque of the Prophet in Medina, the grave of the Prophet, the mountain of Arafat, Maqam Ibrahim, Kalimaat al-Tawhid in Kufic script, v.13 from surah Al-Saff in Kufic and naskh script, a star enclosing the words Allah in Kufic script, graves of Khadija, Uthman, Fatima and Hamzah, the illustration of the scale (mizan) on Judgement Day and the mihrab of the Mosque of the Prophet, six verses from surah At-Tur forming a sailing ship referring to the calligraphic galleon by abd Qadir hisari and signed by Ahmed Resmizade in 1260 AH. Estimate € 6000 - € 8000
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Lot 189 ___________________________________
Lot 191 ___________________________________
MIR’AT AL-HARAMAIN (VIEW OF THE TWO HOLY SANCTURAIES) COMPLETE SET IN FOUR VOLUMES BY AYYUB SABRI, DATED 1306 AH/1888 AD
MOROUJ AL-DHAHAB WA MA’DEN AL-JAWHAR
4 volumes, Ottoman Turkish text, Mir’at Mecca in volume, 1175pp., Mir’at Medina in two volumes, 1343pp., Mir’at Jazirat al-’Arab in one volume, 416pp. ‘The author Ayyub Sabri pasha, an Ottoman admiral, completed the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina as commander of the military escort of the Egyptian pilgrims and the high office of Commander of the Pilgrimage (Amir al-Hajj). In this position, he not only had the opportunity to assist at all the ceremonies of the holy month but also of acquiring an intimate knowledge of the administrative side of the pilgrimage and of the Arabian and Turkish politics in the Hijaz. At the same time, he was able to take many photographs and to illustrate his book with numerous photographs and plans. For a simple pilgrim, taking photographs would have been a very dangerous undertaking especially during the ceremonies of the holy month of Dhul Hajj. Estimate € 2000 - € 3000 Lot 190 ___________________________________
CHATEAUBRIAND – LTINERAIRE DE PARIS A JERUSALEM ET DE JERUSALEM A PARIS – 1876 AD This book is one of three volumes that chronicles the trip undertaken in 1806 and 1807 with a description of lost civilizations where history and archaeology intersect. This book is a sort of guide to the time for those who wanted to start this wonderful movement. The binding is very nice leather with gilt and overall fits perfectly without anything missing, there is insignificant foxing on of the book. Estimate € 800 - € 1200
152
A French translation of the book Morouj Al-Dhahab wa Maden al-Jawhar, It is a book on history by Masoudi, which begins with creation and ends with the reign of the Abbasid Caliph, Moteea-Allah. The book is located in nine volumes, including the French translation of the text of the book. The page is divided into an upper part in Arabic, and a lower part in French. Printed in France / Paris Ali bin Al-Hussein Al-Masoudi, author of the book “Morouj Al-Dhahab” Abu Al-Hasan Ali bin Al-Hussein Al-Masoudi wrote the book in Fustat in the year 336 AH. Iraq, the Levant and Egypt, and it is worth noting that Al-Masoudi was well acquainted with many sciences, the most important of which is geography. This book is one of the most important Arab literature, and is divided into a historical and a geographical part. Their customs, the calendar and months, the Prophet’s mission, and the Arab-Islamic eras since the era of the Messenger , to the caliphate of Othman bin Affan. The geographer from the book included many geographical information; He talked about the rotation of the earth, the atmosphere that surrounds it, the sphericality of the seas, the storms that affect the Arabian Gulf and its surrounding areas, describing rivers and mountains, showing the area of the land, and talking about the earthquakes that occurred in 334 AH. He also explained the phenomenon of tides and the effect of the moon. Thus, he showed the water cycle in nature and the accumulation of salts in the seas, and he talked about sulfur volcanoes located on top of some mountains and others. 21 by 13 cm Estimate € 3000 - € 5000
Lot 192 ___________________________________
AN-NIHAYA FI GARIB AL-HADITH WA AL-ATHAR DATED 1323 AH/1905 AD
4 volumes , An-Nihaya Fi GarIb AL-Hadith Wa al-athar by the Imam Majd Al-Din Abi Al-Saadat Al-Mubarak bin Muhammad Al-Jazari, known as Ibn Al-Atheer And with it in the text of the book, “Al-Dur Al-Nathir Takhliz Nihayat Ibn Al-Atheer by Imam Jalal Al-Din Al-Suyuti.” And in the margin is the book “Mufradat or the Vocabulary of Al-Ragheb Al-Isfahani Fi GarIb Quran” Printed by Omar Hussein al-Khashab in Cairo, Egypt, in 1323 AH 27 by 20.5 cm Estimate € 1500 - € 2000
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Lot 193 ____________________________________
Lot 195 ____________________________________
Of squat rounded form, engraved with a band of cartouches containing inscription in thuluth, and vegetal motifs interspersed by roundels containing vegetal and geometric motifs, above and below bands of cable motif, the lower band with pendant palmettes. 20 cm. diam.
Of rounded shape, on flat base, the exterior incised with twelve circular interlaced medallions, three of which filled with bold thuluth calligraphy, the remaining ornamented with typical Y-shaped motif, intricate whirl patterns and scrolling tendrils, the composition framed by two interlaced bands filled with braided work and typical roundels.
Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
Estimate € 1500 - € 2000
A TIMURID TINNED COPPER BOWL PERSIA LATE 14TH CENTURY
A MAMLUK TINNED COPPER BASIN, EGYPT OR SYRIA 15TH CENTURY
Lot 196 ____________________________________
A SAFAVID BRASS TORCH STAND (SHAMDAN), PERSIA 17TH CENTURY
Of cylindrical form, on a splayed base, decorated with narrow bands of scrolling palmettes and floral arabesques, the neck with a central band comprising an inscription in nastaliq. 27.5 cm. height. Lot 194 __________________________________________________________________________________
Estimate € 4000 - € 6000
AN ENGRAVED SAFAVID TINNED COPPER SPOUTED POURING BOWL PERSIA, 17TH CENTURY
Rising from flat base to oval shaped body with slightly flaring rim, open slightly curved spout also with flaring rim, the body decorated with carved interlacing medallions with engraved floral sprays .The holder and the spout stylised with foliage. 29 cm. diam. Estimate € 1500 - € 2000
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Lot 197 __________________________________
AN OTTOMAN SILK AND METAL-THREAD BROCADE (KEMHA) FRAGMENT, BURSA TURKEY 16TH-17TH CENTURY
Of rectangular shape, brocaded with detailed carnation motifs in silver metal thread wrapped yellow silk with ivory stems and leaves .The gold surface features metal-wrapped thread emphasized by the bright red background, a color combination popular at the Ottoman court. Based on the shape of the fragment, this lampas-woven silk (kemha) was probably once used as part of a garment. 79 by 71 cm. Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
Lot 198 __________________________________
AN OTTOMAN SILK AND METAL-THREAD (KEMHA) FRAGMENT, BURSA TURKEY 16TH-17TH CENTURY
Of rectangular shape, threads on a silk cream ground with black voided silk outlines on a red silk ground, depicting rows of diamond shapes enclosing flower heads and foliage. 95 by 68 cm. Estimate € 2000 - € 3000
Lot 199 _____________________________________________________________________________
A PERSIAN RED WITH GILT QUILTED CHILDRENS WAISTCOAT 19TH CENTURY A Persian red with gilt quilted children’s waistcoat, gilt with pheasants and foliage. 125 by 50 cm. Estimate € 600 - € 800
Lot 200 _________________________________
AN OTTOMAN GILT-COPPER (TOMBAK) VASE, TURKEY 18TH CENTURY
An Ottoman tombak vase rising from the rounded and lobbed body to the tubular neck, on short spreading foot and rounded finial. Estimate € 1000 - € 1200
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Lot 201 _____________________________________________________________________________
A RARE PERSIAN GUNNER’S CALIPER PRODUCED FOR THE PERSIAN ARMY, DATED 1154 AH/1741-42 AD A very rare 18th century Persian gunner’s caliper (also known as gunner’s compass/ gunner’s sector) modelled after one of the various types of gunner’s calipers developed and produced in 18th century England. Despite the fact that English versions of this instrument are quite common, eastern versions seem to be very rare, since there are very few descriptions or references to similar instruments in literature. The Persian caliper at hand seems to be identical to an English gunners caliper auctioned 30th of October, 2019 at Morphy Auctions, as lot. 1187, made by “Gilkerson Tower Hill London”. A quick comparison shows that the numerical tables and engravings correspond almost identically. The instrument consists of two thin legs or rulers, pivoted with a screw and movable around the screw. Both arms are rounded around the screw. The instrument is engraved on both sides. The arms on the screw side of the instrument are engraved with scales for measuring lengths and diameters in inches and a tables indicating the amount of gunpowder quantity needed for proof and service for various diameters of brass mortars and howitzers for both sea and land. The screw side also has circular scale for measuring the diameter of bores in the round section. The reverse of the instrument contains two tables for artillery: one for brass guns on the upper leg and one for iron guns in the lower leg with two rows of numbers. The Persian captions indicating the tables are textually longer than on the English instrument. For example the caption “proof ” on the English instrument becomes “gunpowder weight for testing the cannon” on the Persian instrument. The only inscriptions which are different from the European original are both on the reverse side: (1) the date above the pivot, which reads 1154 (AH) and (2) a vertical inscription indicating “the property of God” left to the pivot. 17.7 cm. length CATALOGUE NOTE The gunner’s caliper is a modification of the sector for the use with artillery. The major modification is that the two arms have been hollowed out slightly to allow the user to measure the diameter of canon balls (convex diameter). Most gunner’s calipers also allowed to user to cross the arms over top of each other to measure the diameter inside the mouth (bore) of a cannon. The arms were usually engraved with various scales and tables such as : scales for concave and convex diameters, degrees and tables for weights of iron shot diameters. This caliper is clearly modeled after 18th century European models LITERATURE J. Robertson, A Treatise of Such Mathematical Instruments as are usually put into a portable case containing their various uses in arithmetic, architecture, geometry, surveying, trigonometry, gunnery etc., London, 1757 M. Williams and E. Tomash, “The Sector: Its History, Scales, and Uses”, IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, vol. 25, no. 01, pp. 34-47, 2003. David S. Weaver, “The English Gunner’s Caliper”, Arms Collecting, Vol. 33, No. 4, pp. Morphy Auctions Catalogue, 30th October, 219. Lot 1187: FINE SET OF ENGLISH BRASS ARTILLERY CALIPERS. Estimate € 6000 - € 8000
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Technical Description
The Qibla finder engravings on this instrument are identical to the ivory sundial in the British Museum made by Bayram ibn Ilyas . The technical description of the part which is identical to the British Museum instrument is as follows: The qibla finder instrument consists of a circular table along the rim of the instrument featuring a 72- sector scheme of sacred geography (i.e folk tradition of Islamic science). Each quadrant is divided into 18 sectors of 5 degrees each and each of the sectors are inscribed with a group of cities/localities from the Islamic world. Concentric to the circular table, bordering to the inner rim, are markings for the first sundial which shows the equinoctial hours and hour angle (with divisions for each degree). On the center of the instrument, there is a representation of the Ka’ba with a circular fence around it. Around the Ka’ba are the places of prayer (maqam) of the four legal schools. Below the Ka’ba, there is a second sundial in the shape of a scarlet sail, showing the time of the ‘asr prayer and each of the four hours before it. Both sundials are facilitated by a string-gnomon pointing towards the celestial pole. The string-gnomon is held up by a collapsible strut. On the left of the sail shaped marking there is a Turkish inscription indicating “oruç saati” (“fasting time”). Next to it the name of the maker: Bayram ibn Ilyas. Above the letter “s” of the word “Ilyas” the date 990 ( AH) is given. This corresponds to 1582 AD. This is obviously not the date at which this instrument was made. Lot 202 ____________________________________________________________________________________
At the bottom of the instrument on top of the 180 degrees position of the circular table, there is circular hole for a magnetic compass.
A QUADRUPED OTTOMAN QIBLA FINDER, PROBABLY MADE FOR THE SULTAN MEHMED V
In addition to the “Bayram ibn Ilyas” markings, the instrument furthermore features two inscriptions in a box on top and at the bottom and decorations with floral patterns on the left and right of the instrument.
Bronze/brass board. Early 20th century
The inscription on top of the instrument states “dalil al-musalla” or “guide for the mosque”, while the inscription on the bottom is a poetic dedication to a Sultan Mehmed/Muhammad, which might be the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed V.
26 by 26 cm. H. 10.5 cm.
This quadruped qibla finder board features two sundials, a compass and a circular geographical table in the folk tradition of Islamic science known as a 72-sector scheme of scared geography indicating the qibla directions of groups of localities from the Islamic world. The markings and some of the mechanical characteristics of the instrument seem to be a direct copy of the ivory sundial qibla finder made by a certain Bayram ibn Ilyas in 1582, and which is now in the collection of the British Museum. Estimate € 6000 - € 8000
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Literature: For more detailed information on the ivory sundial on which this qibla finder is based see: Meghan Doyle, “The Whole World in His Hands: What a Qibla Indicator Illuminates About Islamic Community in Sixteenth-Century About Islamic Community in Sixteenth-Century Ottoman Turkey”, Global Tides: Vol. 12 (2018) , Article 8. Available at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/globaltides/vol12/ iss1/8 David King, World Maps for Finding the Distance and Direction to Mecca: Tradition and Innovation in Islamic Science. Brill, Leiden, 1999, p. 116-117 Venetia Porter, The Art of Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam, British Museum Press, London, 2012, p. 66
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Lot 203 __________________________________________________________________________________
Lot 204 _______________________________________________________________________________
Two folding rectangular panels, decorated in mother-of- pearl and tortoiseshell fragments with a dense design of flowers and lattices. 110 cm. height by 34 cm. width
A tortoiseshell and mother-of-pearl octagonal cabinet, Turkey or Syria, 20th century, of octagonal form with a domed top surmounted by a spike finial, standing on six legs forming cusped arches, the lower section decorated with panels of ’Arabesque’ design in mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell, with borders of interlacing strapwork, the slightly broader upper section with mother-of-pearl panels inlaid with tortoiseshell floral motifs including carnations and saz leaves, bordered by tortoiseshell vertical bands, the domed section decorated ensuite, with a band of calligraphic panel. 172 cm. height 67.5 cm. max.diam.
AN OTTOMAN WOOD, MOTHER-OF-PEARL TORTOISE INLAID QURAN STAND TURKEY, 19TH EARLY 20TH CENTURY
Estimate € 4000 - € 6000
A TORTOISESHELL AND MOTHER-OF-PEARL OCTAGONAL CABINET TURKEY OR SYRIA, EARLY 20TH CENTURY
Estimate € 7000 - € 9000
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Lot 206 _________________________________________
AN OTTOMAN SILVER DAGGER (HANCER) TURKEY, 19TH CENTURY
Plain silver hilt with scalloped shoulder, with openwork to the blade, decorated in gold overlay. The plain silver scabbard marked with the tughra of Mahmud II 1223 -55 AH/1808-39 AD. 51 cm. length Estimate € 4000 - € 6000
Lot 205 ________________________________________________________________________________
A PAIR OF GILT AND ENAMEL GLASS MOSQUE LAMPS, MAMLUK STYLE LATE 19TH CENTURY
Each of green tinged glass, with globular body with 6 applied loop handles, flaring cylindrical neck and short splayed foot, decorated in gilt and polychrome with a frieze of interlocking flower-filled medallions, above ornamental bands of further flower-filled medallions on a scrolling ground, the base with central floral medallion. 30.8 cm. height (2) PROVENANCE Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic world, 24 October 2007, lot 340. Estimate € 6000 - € 8000
Lot 207 __________________________________
AN OTTOMAN SILVER DAGGER, (HANCER) TURKEY, 19TH CENTURY Plain silver hilt with scalloped shoulder, the slightly curved blade with gold damascening decoration at forte. The plain silver scabbard with a grape-bearing vine frieze mount, marked with the tughra of Mahmud II 1223 -55 AH/1808-39 AD. L 50 cm. Estimate € 4000 - € 6000
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Lot 208 ________________________________________________________________________________
A FINE SAFAVID WOVEN SILK AND METAL-THREAD LAMPAS WEAVE FIGURAL PANEL, PERSIA, SECOND HALF OF 16TH CENTURY
The red burgundy silk ground woven with white silk and metal thread, a repeat scene depicting a prince on horseback with a falcon perched on his right hand, a simurgh flying above, amidst trees, cloudbands, leafy and floral branches, mounted with detail showing on reverse. 70 by 35 cm.
_____________________________________________________________________________________ CATALOGUE NOTE A larger panel of the same design was offered at Sotheby’s, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, Tuesday 23rd October 2007, lot 177. For an identical design, albeit on a yellow ground, see Bernard O’Kane, The Treasures of Islamic Art in the Museums of Cairo, Cairo 2006, no. 230. Estimate € 15.000 - € 20.000
PROVENANCE: Private collection, Germany
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Lot 210 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A RARE MAMLUK SILK LAMPAS FRAGMENT, EGYPT OR SYRIA, 14TH CENTURY
The registers decorated with calligraphy, foliate and animal designs interspersed with narrow registers of foliate designs picked out in gold thread. 36 by 11.5 cm. Estimate € 1500 - € 2000
Lot 209 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A SAFAVID SILK LAMPAS TEXTILE, SHAPED AS A SHIRT, 16TH CENTURY
The pattern depicts a courtier holding a wine jar pouring into a smaller bottle, a popular theme in Iranian decorative arts. The design features a seamless repeat pattern, elegantly alternating red, white and ochre yellow for the courtier’s cloak as well as the back ground, a design used by weavers to add variation. This pictorial composition is similar to manuscript paintings produced during the reign of Shah Tahmasp, and may be inspired by mystical poetry referencing wine and gardens. 84 by 56 cm.
CATALOGUE NOTE The inscriptions are a repetition of: al-’izz wa al-nasr wa al-iqbal, ‘Glory and Victory and Prosperity’. For a very similar layout on a textile from the same period in the Victoria and Albert Museum, see Arthur U. Pope, A Survey of Persian Art, Vol. XI, London and New York 1939, plate A, p. 1001 and for other similar lampas weaves used in The Hapsburg Archduke’s burial outfit, see Patricia Baker, Islamic Textiles, 1995, p. 81.
Estimate € 10.000 - € 14.000
Lot 211 ____________________________________________________________________________________
A RARE MUGHAL SILK LAMPAS FRAGMENT, 17TH CENTURY
The registers decorated with calligraphy, foliate designs interspersed with narrow registers of foliate designs picked out in gold thread. The inscriptions are a repetition of ‘Malbus Aleafia’. 23.5 by 8 cm.
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Estimate € 1000 - € 1200
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Lot 212 _________________________________________________
A BROCADE SILK PANEL, MUGHAL 17TH CENTURY
Silk woven with silver thread, the decoration comprising a reticulated design of eglantines alternating with leafy sprigs on an olive ground. 89 by 35 cm. CATALOGUE NOTE For two closely related fragments recently offered at auction, see Sotheby’s London, 24th October 2007, lot 362. See also Patricia Baker, Islamic Textiles, London 1995, p.119, for an example in the Musée des Tissus, Lyons. Estimate € 800 - € 1200
Lot 213 _________________________________________
A DECCANI CALLIGRAPHIC COTTON PANEL, INDIA, 17TH CENTURY
Rectangular, decorated in cream on a black ground with inscription filled trellis, backed. 110.5 by 48.5 cm. Estimate € 1500 - € 2000
Lot 214 ____________________________________________________________________________________
A SAFAVID SILK LAMPAS FRAGMENT, PERSIA, 17TH CENTURY
Depicting a row of ogival cartouches, each surrounded by a band of calligraphy, on copper ground, each cartouche depciting a youth with cup and flask. 18 by 30 cm. CATALOGUE NOTE The inscriptions consist of Persian verses, probably from the Omar Khayyam Rubaiyat: ‘Since Moon and Venus first appeared in the sky No one has seen anything better than ruby wine. I often wonder what the Vintners buy One half so precious as the Goods they sell’. For two related panels forming a document case, see Patricia Baker, Islamic Textiles, 1995, p. 117. Estimate € 1600 - € 2000
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Lot 216 ___________________________________________
A GILDED AND ENAMELED OTTOMAN GLASS HANGING EGG ORNAMENT, EGYPT OR SYRIA, 19TH CENTURY
Of oval form, the cloudy glass with visible bubbles, decorated in cobalt blue and red enamel with stylized flower heads between two thin bands around mid-section of body, with gilded metal fittings, suspension loop to top. 18 cm. height Estimate € 600 - € 800
Lot 217 ____________________________________________
AN INDIAN STAINED AND PAINTED IVORY FIGURE, INDIA, 19TH CENTURY
Lot 215 _________________________________________________________________________________
A MUGHAL IVORY QURAN STAND, 18TH-19TH CENTURY
The bearded man carved wearing long robes, coat and turban, holding beads in one hand, on a circular base, in a leather covered original box with makers stamp. 14.6 cm. Estimate € 1000 - € 1200
Carved with pierced openwork panels, from a single piece of ivory that was split into two sheets, so that the two parts are linked in the axis along which the stand opens. The outside of the stand is decorated with the vegetal ornamentation so typical of Mughal art, with flowers in a latticework at the top and delicate floral vines at the bottom that are set wit. 26 by 10 cm. Estimate € 8000 - € 12.000
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Lot 218 ___________________________________________________________________________________
AN EXCEPTIONAL LARGE WOODEN WITH TORTOISE AND IVORY INLAID QURAN CABINET, OTTOMAN, TURKEY, 20TH CENTURY
A four sided cabinet with short legs and domed cover. The decoration with ebony and ivory using the inlay technique. The side faces of the cabinet’s body are organised into rectangular panels. The interiors of these panels have the same designs as those found in bookbinding compositions of the classical Ottoman period. In the corners of the rectangular panels are ivory corner pieces. Cartouches with palmette-shaped lobes are covered with ebony. At the centre of each of the panels are ivory medallions, each with a huge boss at its centre and pendants terminating in rosette and palmette motifs; in the upper and lower areas are four six-sided rosettes. The interiors of the six-sided rosettes are decorated with mosaic-inlay of white and painted ivory and silver wire. Around the rectangular cartouches are inlays of ivory over ebony, as well as undulating designs featuring split-palmette motifs. Around the bottom border of the cover, separated by lobed cartouches, are ivory cartouches on which is carved Quran alfatihuh thuluth-style calligraphy. The surface of the dome is covered with broad ebony and ivory plaques, the V-shapes of which make up a zigzag design. The dome comes to a point; its upper section is decorated with ivory inset with the reverse side out, a series of ebony palmettes, and six-sided rosettes filled with mosaics. The finial on top has broken off. The cabinet was prepared in order to house sections of the Quran. It has two interior compartments. The interior of the dome is decorated with medallions made up of compositions of palmette and rumi (split-palmette) motifs painted on a background painted cream with lifazi aljalala. The inner border of the cover is decorated with palmettes and rumis on light green ground. 50.5 by 50.5 cm and 81 cm height. Please note: this lot contains ivory and is therefore subject to the relevant trade restrictions in correspondence with CITES regulations. Customers should familiarize themselves with the relevant CITES regulations before bidding. Estimate € 8000 - € 12.000
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Lot 219 ________________________________________________
A CUERDA SECA TILE, SPAIN, 15TH CENTURY Of square form decorated with mustard yellow on a white ground, with an arabesque of interlocking tendrils issuing split and full palmettes. 16 by 13.8 cm. PROVENANCE Sotheby’s London, 09 April 2008, Lot 188 Private collection, Germany
Lot 222 ___________________________________
A SMALL INSCRIBED KNIFE, LATE TIMURID, 15TH-16TH CENTURY With straight tapering steel blade, inscribed in gold to one side, the bone hilt flat either side and stained blue, applied gold juncture. 15.5 cm. length Estimate € 2500 - € 3500
Estimate € 300 - € 500 Lot 220 _________________________________
AN OPENWORK STEEL PANEL 18TH-19TH CENTURY
Finely worked cut steel spiraling tendrils issuing palmettes and leaves. Estimate € 800 - € 1200 Lot 223 ___________________________________
AN OTTOMAN INSCRIBED KNIFE TURKEY, 16TH CENTURY Lot 221 _______________________________________
The straight steel blade of tapering form, one side with groove with gilt inscription, with applied gold join, the faceted green hard stone hilt plain. 22 cm. length
Each of faceted form, inscribed to each face with verses from the Quran and a domed design. The length varies from 18 to 22.2 cm.
Estimate € 2500 - € 3500
A PERSIAN SET OF ELEVEN INSCRIBED STEEL DIVINATION RODS, 19TH CENTURY
Estimate € 600 - € 800
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Lot 224 ___________________________________________________________________________________
A PAIR OF COSMIC PAINTINGS OF BHAIRAV, NORTH INDIA RAJASTHAN CIRCA 19TH CENTURY Opaque pigments on textile.
The Kala (Black) and The Gora (White) Bhairava were the sons of goddess Kali. The images of the two brothers are placed on the Left and the right side of the Idol of Godess Kali.Inside the temple. 90 by 61 cm Estimate € 6000 - € 8000 Lot 225 _________________________________________________________________________________
A LARGE FORMAT STANDING PICCHVAI OF SHRI NATHJI, NORTH INDIA, NATHDWARA, RAJASTHAN, 19TH CENTURY A large standing portrait of Shri Nathji North India , Nathdwara, Rajasthan 167 by 103 cm Estimate € 5000 - € 7000
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Sotheby’s London,
Lot 226 _______________________________________________________________________________
THREE IIIUSTRATIONS FROM A RAGMALA SERIES CENTRAL INDIA, MALWA,17TH CENTURY
Opaque water colour on paper. Central India, Malwa. Three Ragamala paintings of Raga Basant , Shri Raga & Asavari Ragini 29 by 21.5 cm. Estimate € 8000 - € 10.000
Lot 227 ____________________________________
A LARGE JAIN PATA OF THE COSMIC MAN, (LOKAPURUSHA) 19TH CENTURY
This example is a striking and beautiful painting, characteristic of the North Rajasthan region centered around Bikaner State and is possibly a late 19th century rendition of an earlier 17th century version. 188 by 117 cm. Estimate € 5000 - € 7000
Lot 228 _____________________________________________________________________________________
A LARGE PICCHVAI OF SHRI NATH JI NORTH INDIA, RAJASTHAN, KOTA, 19TH CENTURY Opaque pigments on textile 253 by 227 cm.
CATALOGUE NOTE The festival Sharat Purnima , depicted here is widely celebrated in Rajasthan to symbolize the onset of autumn. A series of Interconnected stories are depicted The below scene depicts Daan Lila .Gosain ji and his sons surround the rectangular borders of the intricately rendered picchvai.Shri Nathji stands in mountain lifting posture to depict his victory over god Indra by protecting his people and cattle as Govardhan Nathji. Estimate € 10.000 - € 14.000
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Lot 229 _________________________________________________________________________________
Lot 230 _________________________________________________________________________________
The festival Sharat Purnima, depicted here is widely celebrated in Rajasthan to symbolize the onset of autumn. A series of Interconnected stories are depicted. Twenty two darshan(scenes)of Shri Nathji’s devotion surround the rectangular borders of the intricately rendered picchvai. Shri Nathji stands in mountain lifting posture to depict his victory over god Indra by protecting his people and cattle as Govardhan Nathji. 155 by 120 cm.
Opaque pigments on cloth. 128 by 96 cm.
A PICCHVAI OF SHRI NATHJI, NORTH INDIA, RAJSTHAN, NATHDWARA OR JODHPUR
A STANDING PORTRAIT OF SHRI NATJI , NORTH INDIA, NATHDWARA, RAJASTHAN, 19TH CENTURY
Estimate € 4000 - € 6000
Estimate € 4000 - € 6000
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Lot 231 _________________________________________________________________________________
AN OTTOMAN SILVER FILIGREE TRAY, TURKEY, 19TH CENTURY Decorated with an openwork pattern of flower heads and foliage. 58 by 25 cm. Estimate € 500 - € 700
Lot 232 ____________________________________________
A PERSIAN ASTROLOGICAL DISK ILM AL-RAML, 18TH CENTURY
A Persia engraved astrological disk, cast and engraved bronze, depicting the twelve zodiac signs, magic squares, and the dot and lined figures created using the ilm al raml technique (‘the science of the sand’).
Lot 233 _________________________________________________________________________________
A SAFAVID EMBROIDERED SILK PANEL, PERSIA 17TH CENTURY
Of rectangular form, embroidered on a brown silk ground with four repetitieve bands of a figure with a bow throwing an arrow at deer in a hunting scene, below with Arabic inscriptions in kufic script. Estimate € 1200 - € 1500
The art of using dice for fortune-telling was developed at least 4000 years ago, long before dice were first used to play games. The origin of the distinctly Islamic art of geomancy is uncertain, but it appears to have been well established in North Africa, Egypt and Syria by the 12th century. Unlike astrology, geomancy did not require astronomical observations and calculations. Instead, divination was accomplished by forming and then interpreting a design, called a geomantic tableau, consisting of 16 positions, each occupied by a geomantic ‘figure’. A similar lot at Victoria and Albert Museum number: 505-1888 and 505 A and B – 1888.
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Estimate € 800- € 1200
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Lot 235 ___________________________________
A MONUMENTAL LATE MAMLUK, EARLY OTTOMAN, TINNED COPPER BRASS BASIN, EGYPT OR SYRIA, LATE 15TH-EARLY 16TH CENTURY AND LATER
Of beaten sheet metal, deep rounded form, the body engraved with overlapping circular medallions containing stellar motifs alternating with oblong cartouches filled with strapwork, foliate details and naskh inscriptions, with later everted rim and foot with two drill holes and inscription. 31.7 cm. height, 55.4 cm. diam. PROVENANCE Previously in the collection at Athelhampton House, Dorset, since the 1950s.
Lot 234 ______________________________________________________________________________
A SOGDIAN TEXTILE, DEPICTING TWO CONFRONTING LIONS, WITH INSCRIPTION, CENTRAL ASIA, 8TH-9TH CENTURY
The piece depicts two lions in close confrontation with one another. The central motif shows them in close proximity, squaring up to one another. Their necks are elongated giving them greater stature and impressiveness. Their manes are full and long, and their tails raised in action. The lions are positioned within a semi-circular border which focuses the eye upon them. This is further flanked by two smaller lions facing outwards. The border is comprised of two different patterns: the upper row has inter-locking triangular shapes, whilst the sides are made of diamonds with inner weaving. 42 by 75 cm. PROVENANCE Private San Francisco collection, Jim Connell, 1970’s. Estimate € 4000 - € 6000
CATALOGUE NOTE Another deep rounded bowl from the late fifteenth century and attributed to the Master Muhammad, the cook from Aleppo, is in the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto (inv. no. DSC04621), and features similar inscribed tinned-copper designs and form. Estimate € 4000 - € 6000
Lot 236 __________________________________
A SOGDIAN WOVEN SILK FRAGMENT, CENTRAL ASIA 8TH-9TH CENTURY
Weft faced compound twill, woven with a red roundel containing a stylized bird with jewelry in its mouth, pennants trailing from its head, within a green and yellow cusped lotus surround, ragged edges and holed, conserved within plastic, mounted in glass. 26 by 20 cm. Estimate € 2500 - € 3000
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Lot 237 __________________________________
OTTOMAN PRAYER BEADS TISBIH, 19TH-20TH CENTURY
Strings of prayer beads are usually comprised of 11, 33, or 99 beads, corresponding with the 99 beautiful names of God. (al-asma al-husna) derived from the Quran. 82 cm. length Estimate € 800 - € 1000
Lot 238 __________________________________
A MUGHAL GUNPOWDER FLASK MUGHAL INDIA, 18TH CENTURY Designed to hold gunpowder, this flask is made of copper with silver inlays, engraved on both sides with floral motifs.
Lot 240 ____________________________________________________________________________________
Estimate € 800 - € 1200
AN OTTOMAN GEMSET SILVER BELT BUCKLE, TURKEY CIRCA 1900
Comprising two panels hooked together in the centre, with repoussé decoration of floral motifs and set with agate and emerald stones. 28 cm. diam. 741 gr. Estimate € 600 - € 800 Lot 239 __________________________________________
Lot 241k[[kkkklk;’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’ ____________________________
Daggers of this ancient Indian type are known variously as a katar (piercing dagger) or jamadhar (death tooth). Gripped in the fist, they were intended to deliver a deadly punching blow and were used in both war and the hunt. When the grip is squeezed, the blade splits into two and reveals another blade at the center.
A GOLD KOFTGARI STEEL PUSH DAGGER (KATAR) NORTH INDIA, 18TH CENTURY
Estimate € 800 - € 1200
Estimate € 800 - € 1200
A MUGHAL PUNCH DAGGER OR KATAR INDIA 18TH-19TH CENTURY
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TWO MUGHAL KATARS, 18TH CENTURY
One with gold overlay. 39.5 cm. length, blade 20 cm. 43 cm. length, blade 26 cm.
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VIEWING ONLINE Our auctions are available to view online. We make very high resolution images available online so you can check the item well online. For further information on a lot you may be able to view a condition report online (see below) or contact info@orientalartauctions. com
ESTIMATES All lots carry an estimated price range, which indicates our opinion of value. If there is a reserve on the lot then it cannot be sold below that price. Reserves are never higher than the bottom estimate.
CONDITION REPORTS We highly recommend that potential bidders gather as much information as possible regarding a lot before placing a bid. Oriental Art Auctions provide as much possible information regarding condition and detailed photographs of each object online. If, however, you are unable to view a lot in person you may request a condition report and/or additional images of a lot by email info@orientalartauctions.com We kindly request that you submit your wish for additional information as early as possible.
CATALOGUE ALTERATIONS Lot descriptions and estimates are prepared in advance of the auction and may be subject to change. Any alterations will be published on the alteration sheet and be mentioned by the auctioneer before bidding of the items in question begin.
UNDERSTANDING BUYER’S PREMIUM AND THE FINAL PRICE YOU WILL PAY All purchases are subject to a buyer’s premium of 28% including VAT per lot. When you successfully bid on any lot, the price you pay will be the hammer price (the value you bid at the auction), plus the buyer’s premium.
PAYMENT Congratulations on your successful bidding, the next stage is payment. There are number of ways to pay to make it as easy as possible for you. We accept cash, credit or debit card or bank transfer. All items must be paid for before they can be collected.
BANK TRANSFER Please find details in any email invoice we issue or upon request from our accounts department.
CASH Cash payments can be made at the accounts desk during or after an auction. Please note that due to money laundering regulations we cannot accept cash payments above € 15.000
CREDIT OR BANK CARDS Payment can be made by credit or bank card. Please note we can accept Visa or MasterCard only, and there will be 4% surcharge
COLLECTION AND SHIPPING If you attend an auction in person and are successful in your bid, you are free to collect and remove your item there and then once payment has been cleared. If you are not able to collect in person, Oriental Art Auctions provide in-house packing and shipping possibilities as well as providing quotes for external shippers. Please contact info@orientalartauctions.com and we will provide you with the various possibilities.
EXPORT OF GOODS As you may be aware several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, such as rhino horn, ivory, coral and tortoiseshell. If you are interested in bidding on a lot containing these materials and you wish to export please make sure you are familiar with all relevant customs regulations prior to bidding. It is the buyer’s sole responsibility to obtain any relevant export or import license.
The premium is subject to VAT at the standard rate, with the exception of lots marked in the catalogue with a hash (#) where VAT applies to both hammer price and buyer’s premium.
Please be aware that lots marked with the symbol Y may be subject to CITES regulations when exporting outside the EU.
Credit card payments are subject to a 4% surcharge on the final total.
CONDITIONS OF SALE
You may present these documents in person at our saleroom or, if registering for a telephone, internet or absentee bid, by email.We may, at our discretion, ask you to provide a bank reference and/or deposit as a condition of allowing you to bid.
For further information on buying at Oriental Art Auctions please see our Conditions of Sale.
Notice to all bidders As we wish to avoid unpaid bids in our auctions, please note the followingpoints before bidding. Bidders who have Chinese nationality must register using their name as stated on their Chinese resident’s identity card and Chinese passport, as a condition of participating in any auction. This rule is stipulated to prevent identity theft. If a bidder has entered a bid using a false identity, the company reserves the right to cancel any existing or future bid made by that bidder. Please carefully inspect and investigate the age and quality of original lots by yourself or have them inspected by your agents, in order to avoid any confusion or misunderstanding between the company and bidders. The company has received legal advice from Chinese law firms, to the effect that anybidders who violate relevant rules or provide fake identity, phone numbers or proof of address, shall bear all liabilityand relevant costs, including lawyers’ fees, litigation fees, arbitration fees, notarial fees, translation fees, travel fees and communication fees. In some circumstances, the company or the seller may apply to prevent the bidder from entering the country where the company is based or prevent them from departing from China. Bidders are required to followt hese rules and the company’s terms and conditions.
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VALUATIONS We are happy to value any items brought in to the saleroom. Should you have a number of items, please contact us and ask for an onsite valuation.
CONSIGNING YOUR ITEMS FOR AUCTION Once you have decided to sell your items at Oriental Art Auctions, you will receive a receipt detailing in short the items and any applicable reserves and conditions. The items will then be inspected again and processed in our system. Well in advance of the sale, you will receive a detailed receipt with descriptions via email and/or post.
THE RESERVE PRICE You will receive an advised estimate of each item offered for sale, and we advise that the items are sold the auctioneer’s discretion. This discretionary value would equal a selling price of 10% below the low estimate. Alternatively a fixed reserve price below which we will not sell can be agreed upon when consigning your items. A reserve can never exceed the lower estimate.
BEFORE THE AUCTION You will receive notification of the lot numbers of your property usually about two weeks before the sale. You are of course welcome to come to the view or attend the auction if you wish.
SETTLEMENT Sale results are sent out within 48 hours of the auction and settlement is usually made six weeks after the sale, subject to normal business conditions. We can only pay out if the buyer paid for the items.
TERMS & CONDITIONS OF CONSIGNMENT - THE CONSIGNMENT OF GOODS BETWEEN CONSIGNOR AND ORIENTAL ART AUCTIONS The present document comprises the Terms & Conditions of Consignment between you and Oriental Art Auctions and is applicable to the present and to each subsequent consignment terminating upon expiry at the end of the calendar year or upon the issue of a new version made available to you. Please read this document carefully, in view of the fact that rights and obligations arise as a result of this Agreement. 1. APPLICABILITY 1.1 The present Agreement containing the General Terms & Conditions of Business is applicable to all parts of the relationship between Oriental Art Auctions B.V., hereinafter referred to as ‘Oriental Art Auctions” and the Consignor/Seller, hereinafter referred to as “the Consignor”, which include a particular purchase, sale, intermediary services, appraisals, evaluations, estimates, cataloguing, and custody, unless expressly agreed otherwise. 1.2 Any departure from the present General Conditions ls only possible if and insofar as expressly agreed in writing by Oriental Art Auctions. 2. COMMISSION CONTRACT 2.1 The Consignor hereby instructs Oriental Art Auctions to examine, appraise and sell at auction the movable property brought in by Consignor and taken delivery of by a representative of Oriental Art Auctions (hereinafter also referred to as: ‘the Items’). 2.2 Oriental Art Auctions are hereby authorized by the Consignor to sell the Items via Oriental Art Auctions under the auction conditions to be set by Oriental Art Auctions, irrespective of whether said authorisation regards all or, alternatively merely a few pieces. Consignor and Oriental Art Auctions may mutually agree upon setting a minimum price (reserve) for each consigned Item. 2.3 Taking delivery of Items, however, does not obligate Oriental Art Auctions to sell or to offer said items for sale at auction. ln the event that Oriental Art Auctions is not willing to enter the Items into auction, the Consignor will be informed by Oriental Art Auctions within four weeks subsequent to any such decision. 3. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS ON THE PART OF THE CONSIGNOR 3.1 The Consignor shall provide proof of identity at the request of Oriental Art Auctions. 3.2 The Consignor warrants that in his/her capacity as true owner or by means of proper authorisation he is authorised to offer the Items for sale at auction and hereby indemnifies and holds Oriental Art Auctions harmless against any and all claims from a third party in relation thereto. 3.3 The Consignor at the request of Oriental Art Auctions is obliged to provide Oriental Art Auctions with information on and substantiated proof of provenance and origin of the Items. The Consignor is liable for any loss/damage in case of information which is inaccurate or misleading and/or in case of any other circumstances attributable to the Consignor and hereby indemnifies and holds Oriental Art Auctions harmless against any and all claims from a third party in relation thereto. 3.4 The Consignor duly declares that sale at auction of the Items is not obstructed by any national or international statutory provisions. 3.5 The Consignor is not allowed to bid on any Items brought in by him unless otherwise agreed in writing with Oriental Art Auctions. 3.6 The rights and obligations by virtue of the present General Terms and Conditions belong exclusively to the Consignor and cannot be transferred by Consignor to a third party. 4. THE RIGHTS OF ORIENTAL ART AUCTIONS 4.1 The inclusion of Items in an auction sale or the exclusion thereof, similarly any (oral) announcement in respect of an Item in the Sale Catalogue or in a brochure, is at the sole discretion of the Oriental Art Auctions, who reserve the right to consult or rely on any expert without accepting any responsibility in connection therewith. 4.2 Oriental Art Auctions reserve the right to determine in which of their sales an Item shall be put up for auction. 4.3 In the event that Oriental Art Auctions are instructed to clear the complete contents of a dwelling or warehouse, they reserve the right to exclude Items from said clearance and also to remove or dispose of any such Items which in their opinion are not suitable for auction or if possible, to convert said Items into cash by other means. 4.4 Consignor duly declares that Oriental Art Auctions are authorized to photograph, illustrate or otherwise make visual representations of all the Items offered for sale and to copy or cause said Items to be copied in any way whatsoever, both prior and subsequent to the sale, and shall observe any statutory regulations applicable thereto. Oriental Art Auctions retain the copyright in all such visual representations for use at their discretion.
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5. WITHDRAWAL ON THE PART OF CONSIGNOR
10. CONSEQUENCES OF SETTING ASIDE BY ORIENTAL ART AUCTIONS
5.1 Once an Item has been entered into an auction, it can only be withdrawn by the Consignor following payment of 30% of the agreed reserve, or of a lesser amount if in the opinion of Oriental Art Auctions this is reasonable, or in the absence of a reserve price, payment of 30% or of a lesser amount of the expected proceeds at auction as estimated by Oriental Art Auctions plus all incurred costs, if any. 5.2 In the event that the Consignor is not satisfied with the estimate as set out in 5.1, he/she can request a re/estimation at his/ her own expense, to be performed by three experts who are approved Registered Brokers/ or Registered Broker-Assessors and whose area of specialisation is that of the Item or alternatively, to be performed by certified appraisers or brokers, one of whom to be appointed by Oriental Art Auctions, one of whom by the Consignor, and the third to be nominated jointly by the two already appointed. Should the re-estimation result in a different value, said different value shall be binding upon Oriental Art Auctions and applicable to the Consignor in accordance with the applicability of the present Clause.
10.1 The Consignor is familiar with the fact that Oriental Art Auctions, in the Conditions of Sale (being the General Terms & Conditions of Oriental Art Auctions and the Buyer in respect of a purchase at auction of movable property), reserves the right to set aside the Purchase agreement in the event that the Buyer shall exceed the term for payment. 10.2 The Consignor expressly acknowledges and agrees that Oriental Art Auctions have the right to recover any loss/damage and costs against the Buyer in case of the occurrence of a situation as set out in 10.1. Also the Consignor expressly acknowledges and agrees that Oriental Art Auctions have the right to claim specific performance when the Buyer has failed to comply with the period for payment, or alternatively, to proceed to set aside the sale, or alternatively, first to file a claim against the Buyer for specific performance which if unsuccessful, then to take steps to set aside the sale: the above at the discretion of Oriental Art Auctions.
6. COMMISSION
11.1 Oriental Art Auctions are irrevocably authorized but never obligated to offer Items for sale at a later auction, hereinafter referred to as: “to resell”, or alternatively, to sell said Items within a period of ten days after a particular auction. Any such post-auction sale (“aftersale”) can only take place at a price that is at least the equivalent of the Purchase price less all costs to be borne by the Consignor to which the Consignor would have been entitled if the Item had sold for the reserve set at auction. 11.2 In the event of such an aftersale, the rights and obligations of the Consignor and Oriental Art Auctions by virtue of the present Agreement shall be equally binding and apply in full as if the Item had been sold at the particular auction. 11.3 Accordingly, the provisions set out in the present Agreement shall apply in full to any such resale or aftersale.
In case of sale of the Items at auction, the commission payable to Oriental Art Auctions amounts to a percentage of the price achieved at the sale agreed prior to the sale. 7. OBLIGATION TO TAKE BACK ON THE PART OF ORIENTAL ART AUCTIONS 7.1 The Consignor acknowledges that he/she is familiar and agrees with the General Conditions of Oriental Art Auctions, applicable to Oriental Art Auctions and Buyer in respect of a purchase at auction of movable property, of his willingness to do the following: ‘Unless certain items in the catalogue are expressly excluded - except for a number of cases mentioned in the General Conditions of Sale applicable to the purchase of movable property at auction - Oriental Art Auctions may be willing to set aside the sale of a Lot at auction and to refund an amount corresponding to the original Purchase Price and auction costs, in the event that the Seller within a period of three weeks subsequent to the sale has established to the satisfaction of Oriental Art Auctions that the Lot sold at auction has such serious hidden faults or that the description given is shown to be so erroneous, that had the Buyer been aware of said faults or had there been an accurate description at the fall of the hammer, said Buyer would have decided not to proceed with the purchase or would have made the purchase only at a considerably lower price:. 7.2 The Consignor shall grant Oriental Art Auctions an irrevocable authorisation to set aside the sale in consideration for a refund of the Purchase Price and auctions costs. Oriental Art Auctions has sole discretion to determine whether the circumstances are applicable in any such case. By reason of the setting aside of the sale, the Item is considered to be unsold within the meaning of Clause 11 of the present contractual Terms & Conditions
11. UNSOLD ITEMS
12. TRANSPORT/STORAGE INSURANCE ITEMS 12.1 All packaging materials in respect of the Items consigned to the auction sale may be removed or disposed of by Oriental Art Auctions unless expressly agreed otherwise by Oriental Art Auctions and the Consignor. 12.2 All the Items consigned to Oriental Art Auctions are insured for the value stated on the receipt, or alternatively for an appropriate value determined at the sole discretion of Oriental Art Auctions. against fire. theft, loss and damage provided that said Items are kept in the offices of Oriental Art Auctions or in other storage facilities chosen by Oriental Art Auctions. The Consignor is entitled to claim a receipt for the Items consigned to Oriental Art Auctions, which receipt indicates the value represented by the Items at the moment of consignment according to a preliminary estimate given by Oriental Art Auctions. 12.3 Oriental Art Auctions reserves the right to take measures for storing with a third party Items sent or brought to auction, and to charge the Consignor for any such costs in relation thereto. 12.4 Items which have been sent or brought in to Oriental Art Auctions and which have not been accepted for auction and which are not stored for [temporary] safekeeping, shall at the risk and expense of the Sender be returned to the Sender wholly at his own cost.
8. PAYMENT TO CONSIGNOR
13. LIABILITY OF ORIENTAL ART AUCTIONS
8.1 Oriental Art Auctions shall in the name of Oriental Art Auctions ensure payment to the Consignor of the proceeds from the sale less all fees and charges to be borne by the Consignor, such as transport costs, restoration costs, commission fees, vetting costs, insurance premiums, if applicable, and any other costs agreed in advance as well as VAT [BTW]. hereinafter referred to as: •[the] Compensation’, providing that Oriental Art Auctions has received from the Buyer the full Purchase Price, and providing that the Buyer has not asserted the obligation on the part of Oriental Art Auctions to set aside the sale within the meaning of Clause 7 of the present Agreement, which assertion is acknowledged by the auctioneer and provided that no cancellation of the sale has occurred within the meaning of Clause 9 of the present contractual Terms & Conditions. 8.2 Payment of The Compensation ls normally is effected within 30 days following a sale. unless a written notice as set out in Clause 7 of the present Conditions is received from the Buyer, or a setting aside of the sale within the meaning of Clause 9 of the present Agreement has occurred. 8.3 Invocation of the so-called margin scheme can only be made in the event that prior to the sale all the necessary conditions have been met, including inter alia the declaration of purchase for VAT purposes (inkoopverklaring): the above at the absolute discretion of Oriental Art Auctions.
13.1 Oriental Art Auctions accept no liability whatsoever for any damage to frames of paintings, or other works of ort, nor to any parts thereof such as glass coverings, passe-partouts, etc, except in case of damage caused wilfully or by gross negligence on the part of Oriental Art Auctions and/or his/her employees or representatives. 13.2 In no event shall Oriental Art Auctions be liable for any damage/loss caused by interruption to business, consequential damage/loss, damage/loss of property and/or indirect damage. 13.3 Furthermore, Oriental Art Auctions cannot be held liable for any accident or any form of personal injury suffered on or in the vicinity of the premises or surrounding areas in use for consignment, storing or viewing, for holding auctions or in use for picking up the goods sold, except in case of damage caused wilfully or by gross negligence on the part of Oriental Art Auctions and/or his/ her employees or representatives and/or except insofar as such accident/personal injury is covered by the insurance of Oriental Art Auctions. 13.4 Entering the premises or surrounding areas is entirely at your own risk.
9. CONSEQUENCES CANCELLATION BY BUYER In the case of “a setting aside’ as set out in Clause 7 of the present Terms & Conditions, or a cancellation of the Purchase agreement with the Buyer for any other reason, then Oriental Art Auctions reserves the right to claim back any Compensation already paid to the Consignor as well as any other loss/damage and costs incurred by Oriental Art Auctions as a consequence of said setting aside, including interest charges and judicial and extrajudicial costs.
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14, OTHER RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS ON THE PART OF THE CONSIGNOR/NATURAL PERSON (NOT ACTING IN THE COURSE OF HIS/HER TRADE/PROFESSION)/LONG DISTANCE SERVICES 14.1 In the event that an agreement is entered into between Oriental Art Auctions and the Consignor/natural person who is not acting in the course of his/her trade or profession, under which, up to and including the conclusion of the Agreement, use can only be made of one or more techniques for long-distance communication within the context of the auction system for long distance services maintained by Oriental Art Auctions. in case of the above, the following shall apply. 14.2 During the duration of 7 working days to be calculated from the day upon which the Agreement is concluded, the Consignor/ natural person is entitled to cancel the Agreement free of charge and without giving reasons. Under certain circumstances the period can be extended to three months subsequent to the conclusion of the agreement. Any such termination must occur in writing (per e-mail or written letter). 14.3 The Consignor/natural person cannot assert the abovementioned right. in the event that with his/her consent Oriental Art Auctions has commenced performance of the Agreement prior to the expiry of the term mentioned above. 14.4 In deviation from the provisions set out in Article 7:46101 the Dutch Civil Code pertaining to an occurrence of default, the statutory provisions set out in Articles 6:81-83 01 the Dutch Civil Code shall apply instead. 15. MISCELLANEOUS 15.1 Nullification, annulment or the non-bindingness of one of the provisions set out in the present Agreement containing General Conditions 01 Business shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions. In the event that one or more provisions is null and void, annulled or nonbinding, Consigner and Oriental Art Auctions shall agree one or more provisions to replace the above which are valid and which correspond as far as possible in content and purport to the provisions that are null and void, annulled or nonbinding. 15.2 Objects which, even without prior knowledge of the owner, are deemed to be cultural heritage, and objects which are made with materials which do not have the necessary CITES certificate, (Ivory, Coral, Rhinoceros horn etc.) are excluded from our Auctions. This also counts for objects which may be considered plundered artworks by the authorities. Possible confiscations and legal consequences are the sole responsibility and expense of the consignor. 15.3 The present Conditions of Business are governed exclusively by the Laws of the Netherlands. 15.4 All disputes pertaining to, arising from or in connection with any agreement entered into between Oriental Art Auctions and the Consignor or in connection with the formation of any such agreement shall be submitted to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent court in Zwolle, except for the right of Oriental Art Auctions to choose to have the dispute adjudicated by the competent court located in the district of the Consignor.
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