Oliver White
Head of Department
Lot 103
A Samson Iznik style porcelain Flask (surahi) with animal decoration France, mid 19th Century
23 April 2013, 10:30 BST
London, New Bond Street£3,000 - £5,000
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A Samson Iznik style porcelain Flask (surahi) with animal decoration
France, mid 19th Century
France, mid 19th Century
on a short foot, the bulbous body rising through a recurved band to a tubular neck with torus moulding and flared mouth, the dark green ground of the body and upper neck with leaping tigers, deer, harpies and other animals outlined in black, red leafy elements and open flowers between, a band of red leafy elements above, the lower neck with lobed panels with cusped ends and medial green stripes
40.5 cm. high
40.5 cm. high
Footnotes
The series of Iznik ware plates, bowls and objects with zoological decoration all date from around 1565-1650. In most cases the animals are depicted in static poses, drawn with a black outline and relate to metalwork of the Balkans. The closest in design and upon which this flask was likely modelled is a flask in the Sevres Musée National de la Ceramique which has a later European gold mount. While the animals and design elements are faithfully copied, the presence of open flowerheads and the very bright green ground indicate a later date and European origin.
The Iznik pieces with this same design are in the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon (inv. 2034); the British Museum, London (G. 1983 Godman Bequest); the David Collection, Copenhagen (inv.3/1985); the Victoria and Albert Museum (inv. 6784.1860); the LA Mayer Foundation, Jerusalem; the Musee National de la Renaissance, Chateau d'Ecouen (E.Cl.8357; DS 2164) and (E.Cl.9287; DS 2638).
A similar European version is in the Sevres Musée National de la Ceramique (inv. 1842).