Kalian thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 137, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

Kalian

1650-1700 (made), 1800-1825 (mounted)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A kalian is an oriental tobacco pipe with a long flexible tube connected to a container where the smoke is cooled by passing through water. They are also known as a hookah, huqqa, qalian, qalyan, qaliyan, narghile, shisha, and a hubble-bubble.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Fritware painted in underglaze cobalt blue and chromium black, with engraved brass mount
Brief description
Kalian (water-pipe base), fritware underglaze-painted in cobalt blue with black outline, Iran, 1650-1700. Brass mount added in Qajar Iran, early 19th century
Physical description
Kalian, or hookah base, decorated with pairs of horned deer, leaves and fruit painted in reserve with black outline against blue ground with black hatching. Brass mount added in Qajar Iran, ca.1800-1825. Signed Khwaja Muhammad on the base.
Dimensions
  • Height: 31.8cm
  • Diameter: 19.4cm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
Kar-e Khwaja Muhammad (Painted on the base)
Translation
The work of Khwaja Muhammad
Object history
The dish C.1974-1910 has a similar signature under the base. It should read: "Kha Haji Muhammed", "work of Haji Muhammed". (Mr. R.W. Skelton, 12/04/1961)
Production
Register
Subjects depicted
Summary
A kalian is an oriental tobacco pipe with a long flexible tube connected to a container where the smoke is cooled by passing through water. They are also known as a hookah, huqqa, qalian, qalyan, qaliyan, narghile, shisha, and a hubble-bubble.
Bibliographic reference
Crowe, Yolande. Persia and China. Safavid blue and white ceramics in the Victoria and Albert Museum 1501-1738. London: Thames & Hudson, 2002. ISBN 0-9538196-1-2
Collection
Accession number
437-1887

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Record createdApril 6, 2009
Record URL
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