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Lot Essay
The arrangement of a triangular box base with three feline forequarters at the corners is found on a small number of objects that have been assumed to be tripod stands. One is in the Louvre Museum (L'Islam dans les Collections Nationaux, exhibition catalogue, Paris, 1977, no. 379), two were sold at Sotheby's, London (25 April 1990, lots 97 and 98, the second one again 27 April 1995, lot 65). Although these pieces have traditionally been used as tripod stands, this is contradicted by a similar example - decorated with birds heads rather than felines, and with a pronounced crescent terminal - sold in these Rooms, 17 April 2007 (lot 72). That example could not have been used as a tripod stand, and bought the possibility of alternative uses into the question. Because this example has bayonet fittings both above and below, and as such could not be used as a tripod stand, another explanation must be provided. It could have served as a part of a considerably larger hanging ornament.