Kohl Flask (Sormedan) thumbnail 1
Not on display

Kohl Flask (Sormedan)

Kohl Flask
900-1000 (cast)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The upper section of the bottle is square with slightly concave sides and rounded edges. The legs have been created by cutting out facets giving the lower body the appearance of a molar tooth.
The neck is short and chamfered rising from slightly rounded shoulders, broadening slightly as it rises. The bottom of the neck has a chamfered moulding and the top has a short everted rim with a rounded edge.
Decoration is sparsely applied.The neck has four paired scrolls. In the centre of each facet a roundel encloses a trilobed motif with thick lateral lobes with a squat cusped lobe in the middle. An epigraphic frieze runs round the top of the vessel in a continuous band.
Patina: smooth uniform olive brown.

Object details

Category
Object type
TitleKohl Flask (Sormedan) (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Cast bronze with engraved decoration inlaid with black composition.
Brief description
Cast in bronze with engraved decoration and four faceted legs, inlaid with black composition.
Physical description
The upper section of the bottle is square with slightly concave sides and rounded edges. The legs have been created by cutting out facets giving the lower body the appearance of a molar tooth.
The neck is short and chamfered rising from slightly rounded shoulders, broadening slightly as it rises. The bottom of the neck has a chamfered moulding and the top has a short everted rim with a rounded edge.
Decoration is sparsely applied.The neck has four paired scrolls. In the centre of each facet a roundel encloses a trilobed motif with thick lateral lobes with a squat cusped lobe in the middle. An epigraphic frieze runs round the top of the vessel in a continuous band.
Patina: smooth uniform olive brown.
Dimensions
  • Height: 7.5cm
  • Width: 2.1cm
One leg is notably longer than the other three.
Style
Marks and inscriptions
(Persian; Kufic; engraved)
Translation
Good fortune
Gallery label
(Used until 10/2002)
INK BOTTLE
Copper.
PERSIAN; 10th century.
Object history
Bought for 4s 6d from Monsieur Jules Richard through Major Robert Murdoch Smith on 22nd December 1874.
Bibliographic reference
Melikian-Chirvani, A.S. Islamic Metalwork from the Iranian World, London:HMSO, 1982. p43. ISBN 0 11 290252 9
Collection
Accession number
528-1876

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Record createdFebruary 5, 2003
Record URL
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