Inkwell (davat)
Inkwell
1150-1200 (cast)
1150-1200 (cast)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Circular flat base, slightly tapering walls terminating in a narrow rib and a short, recessed rim to hold the cover. The cover has a low, everted base, slightly sloping wide shoulder and a ribbed dome with a knop-shaped finial.
Each rib on the dome of the cover is engraved with a lotus-bud-shaped cartouche, inlaid with a silver band that frames a smaller ring-matted lotus-bud motif.
The sloping shoulder carries a continuous epigraphic band. Another epigraphic band on the everted rim is divided into three cartouches with incurving sides.
On the walls of the body, the decoration is divided into three horizontal silver inlaid epigraphic bands, framed by copper fillets. the upper and lower inscriptions are placed upon a scrolling foliate ground.
The central band has a plain ring-matted ground. Three cartouches with lobed-sides and cusped arches are inlaid with copper. Their frames interlace through silver knots with the copper bands encircling the top and the base.
The cartouches once held attachment plates, now missing. Some of the attachment holes now plugged with copper.
On the underside of the base, a small roundel encloses an engraved bird on a ground of foliate scrollwork. Around this, three carrtouches framed with copper fillets enclose foliate scrolls engraved on a ring-matted ground.
Patina: fine reddish brown, regrettably over-lacquered; the underside brown olive, the olive hue of the alloy showing through in places.
Each rib on the dome of the cover is engraved with a lotus-bud-shaped cartouche, inlaid with a silver band that frames a smaller ring-matted lotus-bud motif.
The sloping shoulder carries a continuous epigraphic band. Another epigraphic band on the everted rim is divided into three cartouches with incurving sides.
On the walls of the body, the decoration is divided into three horizontal silver inlaid epigraphic bands, framed by copper fillets. the upper and lower inscriptions are placed upon a scrolling foliate ground.
The central band has a plain ring-matted ground. Three cartouches with lobed-sides and cusped arches are inlaid with copper. Their frames interlace through silver knots with the copper bands encircling the top and the base.
The cartouches once held attachment plates, now missing. Some of the attachment holes now plugged with copper.
On the underside of the base, a small roundel encloses an engraved bird on a ground of foliate scrollwork. Around this, three carrtouches framed with copper fillets enclose foliate scrolls engraved on a ring-matted ground.
Patina: fine reddish brown, regrettably over-lacquered; the underside brown olive, the olive hue of the alloy showing through in places.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Title | Inkwell (davat) (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Cast brass alloy. Engraved champlevé designs partly inlaid with silver and copper, the ground filled with black composition. |
| Brief description | Metalwork. Inkwell with domed lid, cast brass alloy with silver and copper inlay, Arabic inscriptions, possibly from Herat, Khurasan, Iran or Afghanistan, 1150-1200 |
| Physical description | Circular flat base, slightly tapering walls terminating in a narrow rib and a short, recessed rim to hold the cover. The cover has a low, everted base, slightly sloping wide shoulder and a ribbed dome with a knop-shaped finial. Each rib on the dome of the cover is engraved with a lotus-bud-shaped cartouche, inlaid with a silver band that frames a smaller ring-matted lotus-bud motif. The sloping shoulder carries a continuous epigraphic band. Another epigraphic band on the everted rim is divided into three cartouches with incurving sides. On the walls of the body, the decoration is divided into three horizontal silver inlaid epigraphic bands, framed by copper fillets. the upper and lower inscriptions are placed upon a scrolling foliate ground. The central band has a plain ring-matted ground. Three cartouches with lobed-sides and cusped arches are inlaid with copper. Their frames interlace through silver knots with the copper bands encircling the top and the base. The cartouches once held attachment plates, now missing. Some of the attachment holes now plugged with copper. On the underside of the base, a small roundel encloses an engraved bird on a ground of foliate scrollwork. Around this, three carrtouches framed with copper fillets enclose foliate scrolls engraved on a ring-matted ground. Patina: fine reddish brown, regrettably over-lacquered; the underside brown olive, the olive hue of the alloy showing through in places. |
| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions |
|
| Gallery label | THREE INK-POTS
Brass and bronze with silver inlay.
PERSIAN; late 12th century(Used until 10/2002) |
| Object history | Purchased for £5, 10s from Jules Richard, after the Paris Exhibition, November 1889. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Bibliographic reference | A.S. Melikian-Chirvani, Islamic Metalwork from the Iranian World, 8th-18th Centuries (London: HMSO, 1982), no.51, pp.123-124. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 746:1, 2-1889 |
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| Record created | March 18, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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