IRAN, MID 19TH CENTURY

Details

A QAJAR ENAMELLED SILVER NARGILEH
Iran, mid 19th century
The leather covered reservoir with silver mounts above and below, each enamelled with floral sprays dividing cusped roundels containing portraits, the mounts linked by shaped silver bands enamelled with floral motifs on blue ground, the upper mount extending up through a boss to the gradually widening then flaring neck, similarly enamelled with portrait roundels between bands of floral sprays, fruiting vine around the boss, set against a silver ground, damages to enamels
13¾in. (35cm.) high

Special notice

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Lot Essay

The colours used for the enamels of this nargileh are those more frequently associated with enamel work on silver produced in Lahore in India. The portrait roundels and the linking panels are both however typically Iranian. It is possible that the floral enamelling was done by a craftsman who had trained in Lahore.

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