CENTRAL ASIA, LATE 15TH CENTURY

Related copper dishes are in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Hermitage Museum. Both are dated AH 902/1496-97 AD and are probably the product of the same workshop (Linda Komaroff, The Golden Disk of Heaven: Metalwork of Timurid Iran, New York, 1992, nos.19-20, pp.194-196). Three other tinned-copper dishes similar to the present example, one of which had a kufic seal in its centre, sold at Christie's, London, 16 October 2001, lot 326 and 7 April 2001, lot 123.

The inscription around the centre promises happiness and peace to the owner of the dish. The central square is inscribed with the name of 'Ali repeated four times.