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Lot Essay
The inscription on the exterior reads: 'izz li-mawlana al-malik al-malik al-'alim al-'adil al-muayyad , al-muzaffar al-mansur al-mujahid al-murabit al-muthaghir rakb al-islam wa al-muslimin taj al-muluk wa'l-salatin qatil al-kufra , wa'l-mushrikin muhiyy al-'adl fi'l-alamin munsif al-mazlum min al-z , alimin kahf al-fuqara wa'l-masakin mubayyid al-taghawat al-mulh , al-mulhidin qatil al-kufra wa'l-mushrikin 'azza ansarahu wa da'af iqtidarahu (Glory to our Lord, the king, the possessor, the learned, the just, the one helped (by God), the triumphant, the victorious, the holy-warrior, the defender, the protector of frontiers, the escort of Islam and the Muslims, the crown of kings and sultans, the killer of infidels and polytheists, the reviver of justice in the world, the judge-advocate of the wronged against the tyrants the asylum for the poor and the needy, the destructor of tyrant unbelievers, the killer of infidels and polytheists, may his helpers be glorified and his power increased).
The small linking cartouches on the interior read: 'izz li-mawlana al-ma , lik al-malik al-'a , lim al-'a , dil al-muayyad a , l-muzaffar al-mansur , al-mujahid al-murabit , al-mathaghir al-ghazi , rakb al-isla , m wa al-muslimin taj , al-muluk wa'l-salatin qatil , al-kufra wa'l-mushrikin , muhiyy al-'adl fi , 'l-alamin al-mu'ayyad , li-sahibihi abadan (Glory to our Lord, the possessor, the king, the learned, the just, the one helped (by God), the triumphant, the victorious, ..., the defender, the protector of frontiers, the holy warrior, the escort of Islam and the Muslims, the crown of kings and sultans, the killer of infidels and polytheists, the reviver of justice in the world, may his owner be assisted (by God) for ever).
The rim reads: 'izz li-mawlana al-malik al-malik al-'a , lim al-'adil al muayyad al-muzaffar al-mansur , al-mujahid al-murabit , al-muthaghir ... , rakb al-islam wa al-muslimin taj , al-muluk wa'l-salatin qatil al-kufra wa'l-mushrikin (Glory to our Lord, the possessor, the learned, the just, the one helped (by God), the triumphant, the victorious, the holy warrior, the defender, the protector of frontiers , ..., the escort of Islam and the Muslims, the crown of kings and sultans, the killer of infidels and polytheists).
For an inlaid brass vessel of this size and original magnificence, it is notable how little figural decoration there is. Compared to other vessels of the same form, only some of the Mamluk 14th century examples generally have as little figural depiction, and they are very different from this in terms both of the decorative layout and the script that is used. There are however a number of other vessels which have very similar features to the designs around the interior of our basin. The main features in this respect to note are the central roundels containing four birds, the upper two of which are confronted and the lower two with everted heads. These are combined with a band of lozenges, the centre of each of which contains a stylized fleur-de-lys, with roundels containing gold six-armed swastika designs, and with hexagonal lattice diaper with inlaid dots at the junctures. All these features are also found on a group of vessels which include a number of penboxes (see one in these Rooms 12 October 2004, lot 100). The most remarkable of them is a penbox now in the Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar (Sotheby's, London, 30 April 2003, lot 68). On the basis of the dedication of that penbox to the Ilkhanid vizier Shams al-Din Muhammad Juvaini the group can be attributed to North West Iran.
This basin is of a form found frequently in Mamluk Egypt, most famously in the Basin de St. Louis (Esin Atil, Renaissance of Islam, exhibition catalogue, Washington D.C., 1981, no.21, pp.76-9 among many publications). A number of very good examples of the form are also known that were made in Syria and Mesopotamia. The d'Arenberg basin in the Freer Gallery, made in Syria, and an outstanding basin signed by 'Ali ibn Abdallah al-Mawsili are two of the most remarkable examples (L'Orient de Saladin, l'art des Ayyubides, exhibition catalogue, Paris, 2002, pp.128-129). In contrast the form appears not to be known in Iran. Another possibly related piece of the jigsaw is a penbox in Cairo which was made for Imad al-Din Abu'l-Fida Isma'il, the Mamluk emir and governor of Hama in the second decade of the fourteenth century (Esin Atil, Renaissance of Islam, Art of the Mamluks, Washington D.C., 1981, no.24, pp.84-5). This has many of the stylistic decorative details of the group of penboxes linked to the al-Juvaini example. On the basis of the Abu'l Fida Isma'il penbox James Allan attributes a penbox in the Nuhad es-Said collection with strong similarities to the al-Juvaini example to Syria (James Allan, Islamic Metalwork, The Nuhad es-Said Collection, London, 1982, no.16, pp.90-92).
The small linking cartouches on the interior read: 'izz li-mawlana al-ma , lik al-malik al-'a , lim al-'a , dil al-muayyad a , l-muzaffar al-mansur , al-mujahid al-murabit , al-mathaghir al-ghazi , rakb al-isla , m wa al-muslimin taj , al-muluk wa'l-salatin qatil , al-kufra wa'l-mushrikin , muhiyy al-'adl fi , 'l-alamin al-mu'ayyad , li-sahibihi abadan (Glory to our Lord, the possessor, the king, the learned, the just, the one helped (by God), the triumphant, the victorious, ..., the defender, the protector of frontiers, the holy warrior, the escort of Islam and the Muslims, the crown of kings and sultans, the killer of infidels and polytheists, the reviver of justice in the world, may his owner be assisted (by God) for ever).
The rim reads: 'izz li-mawlana al-malik al-malik al-'a , lim al-'adil al muayyad al-muzaffar al-mansur , al-mujahid al-murabit , al-muthaghir ... , rakb al-islam wa al-muslimin taj , al-muluk wa'l-salatin qatil al-kufra wa'l-mushrikin (Glory to our Lord, the possessor, the learned, the just, the one helped (by God), the triumphant, the victorious, the holy warrior, the defender, the protector of frontiers , ..., the escort of Islam and the Muslims, the crown of kings and sultans, the killer of infidels and polytheists).
For an inlaid brass vessel of this size and original magnificence, it is notable how little figural decoration there is. Compared to other vessels of the same form, only some of the Mamluk 14th century examples generally have as little figural depiction, and they are very different from this in terms both of the decorative layout and the script that is used. There are however a number of other vessels which have very similar features to the designs around the interior of our basin. The main features in this respect to note are the central roundels containing four birds, the upper two of which are confronted and the lower two with everted heads. These are combined with a band of lozenges, the centre of each of which contains a stylized fleur-de-lys, with roundels containing gold six-armed swastika designs, and with hexagonal lattice diaper with inlaid dots at the junctures. All these features are also found on a group of vessels which include a number of penboxes (see one in these Rooms 12 October 2004, lot 100). The most remarkable of them is a penbox now in the Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar (Sotheby's, London, 30 April 2003, lot 68). On the basis of the dedication of that penbox to the Ilkhanid vizier Shams al-Din Muhammad Juvaini the group can be attributed to North West Iran.
This basin is of a form found frequently in Mamluk Egypt, most famously in the Basin de St. Louis (Esin Atil, Renaissance of Islam, exhibition catalogue, Washington D.C., 1981, no.21, pp.76-9 among many publications). A number of very good examples of the form are also known that were made in Syria and Mesopotamia. The d'Arenberg basin in the Freer Gallery, made in Syria, and an outstanding basin signed by 'Ali ibn Abdallah al-Mawsili are two of the most remarkable examples (L'Orient de Saladin, l'art des Ayyubides, exhibition catalogue, Paris, 2002, pp.128-129). In contrast the form appears not to be known in Iran. Another possibly related piece of the jigsaw is a penbox in Cairo which was made for Imad al-Din Abu'l-Fida Isma'il, the Mamluk emir and governor of Hama in the second decade of the fourteenth century (Esin Atil, Renaissance of Islam, Art of the Mamluks, Washington D.C., 1981, no.24, pp.84-5). This has many of the stylistic decorative details of the group of penboxes linked to the al-Juvaini example. On the basis of the Abu'l Fida Isma'il penbox James Allan attributes a penbox in the Nuhad es-Said collection with strong similarities to the al-Juvaini example to Syria (James Allan, Islamic Metalwork, The Nuhad es-Said Collection, London, 1982, no.16, pp.90-92).