PROBABLY EGYPT, 11TH CENTURY

Details

A FATIMID BRONZE LAMPSTAND
PROBABLY EGYPT, 11TH CENTURY
Heavily cast in three pieces, the shallow domed base with three hoof feet rising to the separate stem with central hexagonal cylindrical section flanked by two spherical bosses, supporting the separate circular tray with lightly raised border, extensive engraved scrolling decoration, one metal scroll on base broken, possibly composite
24in. (61cm.) high

Provenance

Papiri, Lugano, 1958

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

Lot Essay

The form and heavy casting of this piece are very similar to four other examples. One with hexagonal base as found here is in the Islamic Museum in Cairo (Wiet, Gaston: Catalogue général du musée arabe du Caire, objets en cuivre, Cairo, 1984 reprint, no.8483, pl.XXV), while the others, with circular bases, are in the al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait (Jenkins, Marilyn(ed.): Islamic Art in the Kuwait National Museum, London, 1983, p.66), the David Collection, Copenhagen (von Folsach, Kjeld: Art from the World of Islam in the David Collection, Copenhagen, 2001, no.460, p.299) and one sold in these Rooms, 23 April 2002, lot 85. While the base of this lampstand is similar to the Fatimid examples, it is very probable that the stem and tray are from another, Khorassani, lampstand.

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