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A rare Armenian double-handled silver and niello Bowl Turkey, 18th Century image 1
A rare Armenian double-handled silver and niello Bowl Turkey, 18th Century image 2
A rare Armenian double-handled silver and niello Bowl Turkey, 18th Century image 3
Lot 244

A rare Armenian double-handled silver and niello Bowl
Turkey, 18th Century

Islamic and Indian Art
10 April 2008, 14:30 BST
London, New Bond Street

£10,000 - £15,000

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A rare Armenian double-handled silver and niello Bowl
Turkey, 18th Century

of rounded form with raised short spreading base, the central roundel worked in repoussé with a medallion enclosing the image of a rampant lion, with human face, one front leg raised as if holding the Latin cross prominent in the background, the border with floral design, fixed to the base with a single nail, the handles in the form of leopards, fixed to the bowl on fine scroll work, the outer rim of the bowl with similar border design, the exterior of the bowl with four identical repoussé coat of arms, each beginning with a small cross above radiating rays of light upon two half naked angels immersed in a baptismal cauldron, the exterior face of the cauldron decorated with a round floral wreath held on either side by half-naked angels their feet resting on the wide-spread wings of an imperial eagle
10.5 cm. diam.; 170 g.

Footnotes

The central medallion with the lion is fashioned in the design of the silver coins of King Hethoum I and Queen Zabel ( 1226-1270) of the Cilician Kingdom of Armenia (1198- 1375).

The eagle is the symbol of the Armenian Catholicate. The inscription in large capitals is a monogram, spelling the name of the recipient of the silver bowl. The name and the title of the owner are separated by a crozier topped with a cross.The initials decipher as :

ՂԿՍ / ԿԹԿ

Ղ (ՈՒ) Կ (Ա) Ս Կ (Ա) Թ (ՈՂԻ) Կ (ՈՍ ) = Gh(ou) k (a)s K(a) th (oghi) k (os).

Catholicos Goukas

This is the monogram of Catholicos Ghoukas I Karnetsi, b. in Karin in 1722, hence the name Karnetsi (from Karin) ( Izmir) - d.1799. In 1763 he was consecrated bishop and appointed diocesain bishop of Izmir. Elected catholicos( head of the Armenian church) of All Armenians in 1780 and remained in the post till his death in 1799. He is buried in the Monastery of Saint Gayane in Holy Etchmidzin. The entire frescoes of the cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin by the artist Hovnatan Hovnatanian were commisioned by Catholicos Ghoukas and painted during his catholicate.

Two Ottoman silver bowls with Armenian inscriptions) were sold at Christie's Islamic,Indian and Armenian Art and Manuscripts, Tuesday, 12th October 1999, lot 378; and Sotheby's Arts of the Islamic World, 24 October 2007, lot 265.

Additional information