MADE BY BARUN AL-MUKHTARA, CONSTANTINOPLE, TURKEY, DATED AH 1151/1738 AD

Details

AN OTTOMAN QIBLA INDICATOR
MADE BY BARUN AL-MUKHTARA, CONSTANTINOPLE, TURKEY, DATED AH 1151/1738 AD
Painted and lacquered wood, the interior of the base with a European map showing the landmass north of the equator with a magnetic compass, below with a list of countries and cities with their coordinates, the inner lid is decorated with topographical illustration of the sanctuary at Mecca, below with black nasta’liq, including the date and signature, the outer box is elaborately decorated with arabesque designs, three clasps to the edges with only one intact
Diam. 12 ¼ in. (31.2cm.)

Provenance

New York private collection by 1973, thence by descent

Special notice

This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.

Sale room notice

Please note that the map illustration and writing on the bottom plate of this qibla indicator are an engraving, hand coloured and varnished. The upper section, the depiction of Mecca, the instructions for use and the signature panel are manuscript.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Behnaz Atighi Moghaddam Head of Sale

batighi@christies.com +44 20 7389 2509

Lot Essay

Our qibla indicator is signed by the master Barun al-Mukhtara, who created this genre of qibla indicators for the Ottoman Grand Vizier, Yegen Mehmet Pasha in the 1730s. The inscriptions below the topographical image on the lid are in Ottoman Turkish and provide instructions on how the indicator can be used, including the signature of the maker and the date and place of production. A near identical example to our indicator which is also signed by our maker in the same year is in the Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo (MIA3348, illustrated Venetia Porter (ed.), Hajj. Journey to the Heart of Islam, exhibition catalogue, London, 2012, pp.66-67, fig.36.), two further examples sold at auction Sotheby’s London, 23 October 2019, lot 124 and in these Rooms, 20 October 2016, lot 183.

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