Vessels in what has recently been termed the 'potter's style' in Iznik come in a variety of shapes of which this tondino is one of the most typical. Originating in Europe, it first appears in Turkey in around 1530. The Italian origin is given a strong indication in the form of an Iznik tondino that has a central portrait copied from a maiolica prototype (V & A 5763-1859). This timing coincides with the start of the 'potter's style' together with the related 'Golden Horn style'. The last appearance of the pure shape is in a dish decorated with animals dateable to 1560-1565, (B M G.1983-163). Apart from this example, the tondini all date from 1535-1545. Later adaptations of the shape can be seen in dishes apparently intended for the export market, but while these have the broad rims, they do not have the rounded centres of the early group, the whole shape being flattened out. (See Christie's, 25th April 1991, lot 137 for an example that was already in Europe by the 18th century).

Two other tondini are identical to ours; one in the British Museum (78.12-20.523), the other in the Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon, (inv. no. 811). All three are within 5mm. of each other in diameter. A further tondino in the British Museum, (??????????????), has ???????? ??????????? ?????????? ????????. As noted by Atasoy and Raby, there appear to have been only a limited number of designs for this group. While they all have dense designs, referred to as a horror vacui, what they all have in common is completely undecorated cavetti that reveal the purity of the white ground perfected at Iznik.

Atasoy, N. and Raby, J.: Iznik, the Pottery of Ottoman Turkey, London 1989, pp.115-120, especially pls.326 and 327