Oliver White
Head of Department
Lot 34
A Seljuk monochrome moulded figural pottery Vase Persia, 12th Century
23 April 2013, 10:30 BST
London, New Bond Street£3,000 - £4,000
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A Seljuk monochrome moulded figural pottery Vase
Persia, 12th Century
Persia, 12th Century
of bulbous form on a short flared foot with a truncated tubular neck with torus molding and splayed mouth, the shoulder incised with a a band of interlinked roundels containing a seated figure flanked by a ewer and a vase containing a floral spray; a kneeling figure with a peacock; a bird; a seated figure flanked by peacocks; a seated figure with a wine cup flanked by a tazza of fruit and pottery vessels and two confronting peacocks, all under a turquoise glaze
21.5cm. high
21.5cm. high
Footnotes
Provenance: acquired from Ernst J. Grube, 7th April 1976.
"This is a unique object. Ceramic vessels with moulded relief decoration are relatively common in Seljuk Iran, but rarely do they have anything but floral or animal decoration. At times figures are in use, but they generally are arranged in totally decorative fashion. This piece is decorated with reliefs which differ each from the other and undoubtedly tell a story.
Apart from the fact that this is an extremely unusual object, and only two or three other pieces with decorations following similar lines, but do not have the same design could be quoted, it is in absolutely perfect condition which greatly enhances both the value and the interest of the piece. It should also be noted that the glaze that covers the object and consequently the reliefs has been beautifully controlled. It is quite thin and therefore does not, as is so often the case, obliterate the figurative pattern.
The only other two pieces that could really be compared with this object are in the Hermitage and in the collection of Prince Abdorreza Pahlavi. Prince Abdorreza's piece, a small jug with reliefs showing scenes from Nizami's poems, has not yet been published (. An identical, though less well preserved piece in Leningrad was published by G. Balashova, "A Twelfth-Thirteenth Century Pottery Jug decorated with Epic Subjects," in Sredniaia Azi ia i Iran, Moscow, 1972, pp. 91-106 (in Russian, English summary, ibid, pp. 181-182).
For the general type of relief decorated Seljuq ceramic ware see Arthur lane, Early Islamic Pottery, London, 1965, pls. 42-44."