Bowl thumbnail 1
Bowl thumbnail 2
Not on display

Bowl

1200-1225 (cast)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Khorasan (cast)
Iran (made)

Bowl (jam), a tall vertical foot supports a bowl with flaring sides, curving slightly up to be topped by a grooved moulding.

The engraved, silver-inlaid decoration consists of a continuous epigraphic band at the top and four interlaced quatrefolis alternating with four small epigraphic sections around the body.

Patina: olive with white undertones.

Object details

Categories
Islam
Metalwork
Object type
Bowl
Materials and techniques
Bell-metal cast and turned; engraved decoration partly inlaid with silver, with black composition in the ground. Alloy has not been analysed.
Brass
Silver
Turned
Engraved
Inlaid
Brief description
Bowl, cast brass with engraved decoration in silver inlay, upper inscription of conventional blessings and a lower inscription which reads 'Blessing to its owner, Yusuf ibn Ahmad, the merchant of Tabriz, may his fate remain auspicious', Khurasan, Iran, 1200-1225
Physical description
Bowl (jam), a tall vertical foot supports a bowl with flaring sides, curving slightly up to be topped by a grooved moulding.

The engraved, silver-inlaid decoration consists of a continuous epigraphic band at the top and four interlaced quatrefolis alternating with four small epigraphic sections around the body.

Patina: olive with white undertones.
Dimensions
  • Maximum height: 9cm
  • Maximum, body diameter: 19.5cm
  • Maximum, opening diameter: 19.4cm
  • Maximum, foot diameter: 8.6cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • (Persian; naskhi; upper inscription; engraved)
    Translation
    Might, auspicious fate, good fortune, divine solicitude, contentment, perception of God, spiritual immunity, organizing capability, plenitude, constancy, first fruits, success, peace of mind, God's blessing, leadership, lordship, repentance, God's favour, lasting life to its owner
  • (Persian; kufic; second inscription; engraved)
    Translation
    Divine grace to its owner, Yusef b.Ahmad, the Tabrizi merchant, may his fate remain auspicious
Gallery label
(Used until 11/2003)
BOWL
Bell-metal, cast and turned, with engraved decoration and silver inlay
PERSIAN (Khorasan); early 13th century
The upper inscription consists of conventional blessings; the lower reads: "Blessings to its owner, Yusuf ibn Ahmad, the merchant of Tabriz, may his fate remain auspicious".
Object history
Purchased for £6 from Messrs Goldschmidt, Frankfurt, 2 September 1872
Historical context
A very similar footed bowl , also of bell-metal, is in the Muzim-i Rawza. Possibly from the same workshop. See Melikian-Chirvani, A.S. Islamic Metalwork from the Iranian World, 1982, fig.27, p.63.
Bibliographic references
  • Melikian-Chirvani, A.S. Islamic Metalwork from the Iranian World, London:HMSO, 1982, p126-127, ISBN 0 11 290252 9
  • The Survey, reproduced, pl. 1319 B; mentioned p.2491.
  • Melikian-Chirvani, A.S. Le Bronze Iranien, p.29. Published with inscriptions.
  • p.207 Al Khemir, Sabiha, Beauty and Belief. Crossing Bridges with the Arts of Islamic Culture, (Brigham Young University of Art, 2012), ISBN: 9780842528115
Collection
Middle East Section
Accession number
634-1872

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Record createdMarch 18, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O76893/bowl-unknown/
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