Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Middle Eastern (80)

A textile panel made of different dyed silk stripes, exquisitely embroidered with motifs from Zoroastrian myths such as fishes or botehs. The backing is a coarse blue dyed cotton, framed by a black ribbon. These embroidery panels originally would have formed the knee to ankle section of one trouser leg, of a shalvar (pantaloon) from a Zoroastrian woman's wedding costume. Condition: one stripe with small fabric losses (see photo 6), few tears, an old mend, little faded. Dimension: c...

Two antique square Küthaya ceramic tiles with wooden frames. Each painted in underglaze cobalt blue, turquoise, green and red, outlined in black. Showing a quranic calligraphy bordered by a band of scrolling saz and flowerheads. Condition: partial cracquelure to glaze, one tile with cracks in the right angle, partially restored, the other one with tiny glaze loss in the right corner, both slightly warped. Dimension: 23.3 x 23.3 cm.

The ground textile is a dark woolen flannel "inlaid" with pieces of colored fabric and embroidered in silk yarn in different colors. The embroideries from Rasht in Gilan Province were made by professional male embroiderers. Cotton lining, silk fringes. Dimension: diameter (without fringes): 142 cm, fringes: c. 8.5 cm long. Condition: fine, little faded, minimally stained.

A fine Persian nargileh water pipe cup "qalian" in conical form made of copper decorated in enamel against a gilt background. Showing four medaillons with portraits of youths among cartouches with floral bouquets or faces. Interior with clay, the foot with four lugs. Condition: some small losses and cracks to enamel (please look at the photos carefully). Dimension: diameter: 8.7 cm, height: 8.2 cm.

A set of six silver bowls, the center with raised omphalos. Below an acanthus bordure decorated with a band of Arabic calligraphy. No mark, but silver tested. Condition: due to the high silver content the bowls are quite soft and some are slightly distorted. Three bowls with few dents. Dimension: diameter: 10.6 cm, 5.1 cm high, total weight: 476 g.

A large silver tray of oval form with applied scrolling handles. The sloping sides of the salver with repousse decoration in the Turkish baroque style. Tughra and two other marks to either end of the tray, each handle with two hallmarks. Condition: traces of usage, the sides with two short cracks, one old repair with crack near the attachment of one handle (pic. 9). Dimension total: 41.5 cm long x 26.7 cm wide, weight: 760 g.

A long woman's coat, made of salmon-colored silk, with woven rows of polychrome flower bouquets. Front and back made of one panel of fabric, therefore the pattern being upside-down at the back. Slitted sleeve ends with embroidery in metal threads and the cuffs lined with additional fabric. Bordered with brocade bands and cream colored cotton lining...

A large wooden lidded box of rectangular shape, made in Qajar Persia. The surfaces overlaid with micro-mosaic in colored wood, bone and metal, forming different stellar motifs. All with a lacquer finishing, shining golden. The interior with a folding mirror and roughly painted with flowers. The drawer is partitioned, the metal fittings made of sheet metal...

An elegant Ottoman tulip candlestick in the plain style. Bell-shaped base with deep drip tray, the rim with two loops, the multifaceted baluster neck ending in a tulip shaped finial. Condition: please look at the photos carefully (they make part of the condition report) drip tray and finial with a small, old loss, one loop with solder residue, negligible dents. Dimension: c. 27.3 cm high, base diameter: 10.8 cm, weight: 690 g.

A round tray cover made of glazed cotton lavishly block-printed and dyed, produced in Isfahan in the 19th century. Centrally a blossom surrounded by rows of boteh, meandering flowers, cartouches with Arabic inscriptions etc. Qalamkar textiles were especially popular in Persia, often imported from India (here called Kalamkari). From Georges Redard's study collection (please visit http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/redard-georges), mainly comprising Persian textiles...

A pair antique lobed brass vases decorated with interlacing patterns, tendrils and Islamic calligraphy, inlaid in silver and copper. Condition: traces of usage. Dimension: c. 29.1 cm high.

The exterior chiselled and engraved, the neck with a band of nasta'liq inscription and the body with lattice containing flowerheads. Quatrefoil with owner's or maker's name. Condition: traces of usage, rubbing to tinning. Dimension: diameter: 28.5 cm, 15 cm high.

A square composite panel made of antique embroideries from the Greek islands (Ottoman Empire). The basic fabrics are different plain cotton weaves, embroidered with silk or wool and metal wrapped threads. Traces of former mounting, maybe as a pillow cover. Condition: one hole (see photo no. 4), some slits, some missing threads, little faded. Dimension: 51 cm x 52.5 cm.

Of rectangular form with sliding lid. The top and reverse differently carved with the rose and nightingale "gul-u-bulbul" motif. The undecorated mirror is not fixed. Condition: few traces of usage, the mirror glass with some imperfections. Dimension: 19.3 cm x 12.8 cm, weight: 324 g.

A Qajar papier-mache penbox with painted decoration under a lacquered varnish. Showing the rose and nightingale motif "gul-u-bulbul", a popular literary and decorative theme in Qajar Persia. Provenance: a gentleman's collection, Geneva - Switzerland. Condition: traces of usage, small losses, some wear and cracking (please look at the photos carefully, they make part of the condition report). Dimension: c. 23 cm x 4.2 cm x 3.5 cm.

A beautiful square cover embroidered in silk threads with botehs and volutes. The ground fabric is a block printed twill weave, edged with a silk velvet border. Cotton lining. Condition: few tiny thin areas, few missing and loose threads, Little faded, lining with stains. Dimension: c. 77.5 cm x 75 cm.

A drop-shaped ewer with ribbed body and hinged lid with small bird final. The rococo style handle connecting body and lid. Curved, simple spout and two finely engraved horizontal bands. Condition: small dents, partially rubbed. Dimension: 35.8 cm high, weight: 1030 g.

A Syrian bell-mouthed brass vase decorated with interlacing patterns, tendrils and Islamic calligraphy inscriptions, beautifully engraved and inlaid in silver and copper. Base with date. Condition: fine, a bit naturally distorted, few traces of usage. Dimension: 26.8 cm high, weight: 729 g.