NEAR EAST OR NORTH AFRICA, 18TH CENTURY

Details

A SILK AND METAL-THREAD COAT
NEAR EAST OR NORTH AFRICA, 18TH CENTURY
Stitched into a coat with blue satin lining, metal thread rosette trim, the sleeves with zips along the forearm, the textile woven in silk and metal thread with alternating bands of gold calligraphy on blue ground and bands of gold leaves issuing red and green rosettes
31¾in. (80.6cm.) long

Engraved

The inscription reads malbus al-'afiya, 'wear [it] well'.

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

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Lot Essay

A very similar textile panel was formerly in the collection of Mehdi Mahboubian, exhibited at the University of Texas and illustrated on the cover of the exhibition catalogue (Treasures of Persian Art After Islam - the Mahboubian Collection, New York, 1970). Other similar textiles with an identical inscriptions have appeared at auction. One, woven in gold and turquoise thread was sold at Sotheby's, 6 April 2011, lot 349. Another with gold calligraphy on cream ground sold in these Rooms, 6 October 2011, lot 461.

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