Lot Essay
The main inscription reads: "al-maqarr al-karim al-'ali al-mawlawi al-maliki al-amiri al-kabiri al-'alimi al-'amili al-'adili al-mujahidi al-murabiti al-muthaghiri al-mu'ayyadi al-dhakhiri al-'awni al-hamami al-maliki al-salihi" His excellency the noble, the lofty, the lordly, the royal, the great amir, the wise, the efficient, the just, champion (of Islam), defender of the faith, guardian of the frontiers, supported by God, upholder of the needy, the heroic, servant of al-Malik al-Salih.
The inscriptions contained in the roundels read: "al-maqarr al-karim al-'ali al-mawlawi al-maliki al-'alimi al-'amili" His excellency the noble, the elevated, the lordly, the royal, the wise, the efficient.
Bowls of this shape are quite common in Mamluk metalwork. The dimensions of this bowl, however, are exceptional. With its gold and silver inlay, traces of which can be found particularly in the roundels, it must have been intended for a noble household of great wealth.
The two framing bands are decorated with animals of the chase including the rarely represented elephant and unicorn. Other examples of the latter occur on a 13th century Persian lustre tile in the Museum für Islamische Kunst, Berlin (see Ettinghausen, R.: Studies in Muslim Iconography: The Unicorn, Washington, 1950, pl. 18 upper), a mid-13th century Syrian silver inlaid plate in the State Hermitage, St. Petersburg (Ettinghausen, R.: op.cit., pl. 18 middle), a small bowl made for Sultan al-Malik al-Nasir Muhammad b. Qala'un sold in these Rooms (11 October 1988, lot 370) and now in the Khalili Collection, and the Syrian 13th century Baptistère de St. Louis (Ettingahusen, R.: op.cit., pl. 19 upper, amongst many other publications).
The official commemorated in the inscription was in the service of al-Malik al-Salih. Three sultans of the Bahri Mamluks bore this title (or epithet):
'Imad al-Din Isma'il (reigned 1342-1345 AD)
Salah al-Din Salih (reigned 1351-1354 AD)
Salah al-Din Hajji ibn Sha'ban (reigned 1381, 1389-90 AD)
The official could have been the Mamluk of either of the first two who both were sons of al-Malik al-Nasir.
A Metallurgical analysis of this bowl, performed by Dr Peter Northover of the Department of Materials, Oxford, sample no. R763 confirms the proposed dating
The inscriptions contained in the roundels read: "al-maqarr al-karim al-'ali al-mawlawi al-maliki al-'alimi al-'amili" His excellency the noble, the elevated, the lordly, the royal, the wise, the efficient.
Bowls of this shape are quite common in Mamluk metalwork. The dimensions of this bowl, however, are exceptional. With its gold and silver inlay, traces of which can be found particularly in the roundels, it must have been intended for a noble household of great wealth.
The two framing bands are decorated with animals of the chase including the rarely represented elephant and unicorn. Other examples of the latter occur on a 13th century Persian lustre tile in the Museum für Islamische Kunst, Berlin (see Ettinghausen, R.: Studies in Muslim Iconography: The Unicorn, Washington, 1950, pl. 18 upper), a mid-13th century Syrian silver inlaid plate in the State Hermitage, St. Petersburg (Ettinghausen, R.: op.cit., pl. 18 middle), a small bowl made for Sultan al-Malik al-Nasir Muhammad b. Qala'un sold in these Rooms (11 October 1988, lot 370) and now in the Khalili Collection, and the Syrian 13th century Baptistère de St. Louis (Ettingahusen, R.: op.cit., pl. 19 upper, amongst many other publications).
The official commemorated in the inscription was in the service of al-Malik al-Salih. Three sultans of the Bahri Mamluks bore this title (or epithet):
'Imad al-Din Isma'il (reigned 1342-1345 AD)
Salah al-Din Salih (reigned 1351-1354 AD)
Salah al-Din Hajji ibn Sha'ban (reigned 1381, 1389-90 AD)
The official could have been the Mamluk of either of the first two who both were sons of al-Malik al-Nasir.
A Metallurgical analysis of this bowl, performed by Dr Peter Northover of the Department of Materials, Oxford, sample no. R763 confirms the proposed dating