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Lot Essay
The Persian inscription informs us of the tomb of a lady "Fatimah daughter of Nurullah Darbandi" who died on 1st dhu'l-hijja, the year 1055.
A similar underglaze blue and black tombstone which includes panels of Chinese designs in the border is in the Linden Museum, Stuttgart (Kalter, Johannes: Linden-Museum Stuttgart, Abteilungsführer Islamischer Orient, Stuttgart, 1987, pl.89, p.95). In contrast to the more sober interests demonstrated in the upper panel of the present tombstone, that example shows a horse, a trophy of weapons, a hawk and, occupying pride of place at the top, a bottle enshrined within a niche. The date on that example is poorly written, especially the last figure, but has been read as either 1052/1641-2 or 1054/1643-4, very close indeed to the present date.
A similar underglaze blue and black tombstone which includes panels of Chinese designs in the border is in the Linden Museum, Stuttgart (Kalter, Johannes: Linden-Museum Stuttgart, Abteilungsführer Islamischer Orient, Stuttgart, 1987, pl.89, p.95). In contrast to the more sober interests demonstrated in the upper panel of the present tombstone, that example shows a horse, a trophy of weapons, a hawk and, occupying pride of place at the top, a bottle enshrined within a niche. The date on that example is poorly written, especially the last figure, but has been read as either 1052/1641-2 or 1054/1643-4, very close indeed to the present date.