TURKEY, CIRCA 1500

Details

AN EARLY OTTOMAN ENGRAVED BRASS CANDLESTICK
Turkey, circa 1500
The truncated curved conical body with flaring skirt below the large deep drip tray, the centre with a tall tubular neck with central boss and upper cylindrical mouth, the body delicately engraved with meandering flowing arabesques on a ring-pounced ground, leaf-motifs and rope-pattern bands above and below, a crenellated band around the mouth, areas of light green and red patination
9¾in. (24.8cm.) high

Special notice

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Lot Essay

The form of the present candlestick, with its very narrow columnar neck and constricted base with pronounced drip pan is much more delicate than is normally encountered at this time. It appears to be derived from a group of later Mamluk candlesticks which often have European armorials (Curatola, G. (ed.): Eredità dell'Islam, exhibition catalogue, Venice, 1993, no. 306, pp. 488-9). What is typical of a small number of early Ottoman candlesticks is the very elegant flowing floral designs engraved over the surface. Similar work can be seen on two candlesticks in the Freer Gallery, Washington, and in the Victoria and Albert museum (Atil, E., Chase, W.T. and Jett, P.: Islamic Metalwork in the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., 1985, no.27, p.191, and fig.66, p.192).

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