.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
The engraving on glass vessels of inverted heart-shaped panels surrounded by slant-cut vegetal scrolls is found on a small number of vessels excavated at Nishapur (Jens Kröger, Nishapur Glass of the early Islamic Period, New York, 1995, nos.222 and 223, pp.167-169 in particular). A further example is in the National Museum in Iran (Helen A. Kordmahini, Glass from the Bazargan Collection, Tehran, 1994, p.87). Kröger makes a clear distinction between vessels cut with simple designs and those where the cutting is sharply bevelled, cut on a slant. Even within this latter group the present cup is remarkably finely made, using the contrast between the clear-cut outlines and double meandering lines to contrast with the slant-cut scrolling tendrils. Similar very precise slant-cut decoration forming a closely related design is found on a magnificent clear glass jug sold at Sotheby's (30 April 2003, lot 48). Both have the main motifs linked by paired meandering horizontal lines flanked by scrolls, and both have subsidiary hatching in some of the lobed motifs.
The date of the popularity of this design is given by a mallet-shaped glass bottle that was excavated in China from the tomb of the Liao princess Chenguo who died in 1018 AD, indicating that the tenth century was probably the height of its popularity.
The date of the popularity of this design is given by a mallet-shaped glass bottle that was excavated in China from the tomb of the Liao princess Chenguo who died in 1018 AD, indicating that the tenth century was probably the height of its popularity.