TURKEY OR EGYPT, 20TH CENTURY

Details

A METAL-THREAD APPLIQUÉ BLACK SILK HIZAM FROM THE HOLY KA'BA IN MECCA
TURKEY OR EGYPT, 20TH CENTURY
Of rectangular form, the black ground woven with a very strong fine thuluth inscription within a cartouche with rounded ends, the spandrels worked with metal-thread floral motifs, a band of meandering leafy silver vine above and below, very occasional wear
35¼ x 135½in. (89.4 x 344.6cm.)

Provenance

Christie's, London, 8 April 2008, lot 154

Engraved

Qur'an XXII, sura al-hajj, v.26

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.

Sale room notice

Please note that this lot, unless collected before 5pm on the day of the sale, will be removed to offsite storage at Cadogan Tate, and not the Christie’s warehouse at Park Royal as stated in the catalogue.

Brought to you by

Behnaz Atighi Moghaddam

BAtighiMoghaddam@christies.com 44 20 7389 2509

Lot Essay

This hizam (belt) and that of the following lot are of the type that would have been placed at about two-thirds of the height of the exterior of the Ka’ba over the kiswa. They were typically divided into seven sections - the content of these on the more recent coverings is almost entirely Qur'anic, and examples of kiswa fragments that have previously appeared at auction testify to this. During the Ottoman period, however, the purpose of the inscription on the hizam, which was really the single most visible element of the kiswa, became also to glorify the Sultan, who as Caliph was accorded such an honour. A number of similar hizams are in public and private collections. One, attributed to 19th century Cairo, is in the Khalili Collection (Abu Dhabi, 2008, pp.338-339, no.402). Another is in the Topkapi Saray Museum (T.S.M.24/11; Bayhan, 2008, pp.182-189). Others have appeared on the art market. One, for example, sold at Christie’s, London, 17 April 2007, lot 19.

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