Fritware bowl, Iran (Kashan), Early 13th century, 10cm high, 22.2.cm diameter. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

This bowl rises from a short foot to a rounded, cylindrical shape. It has been painted on both the interior and exterior. The artist has used black and white upon a blue ground under a transparent glaze. The interior of the piece boasts a highly stylised water weed motif, while the exterior features large conch-shaped patterns, painted in a fluid, black line that swells from thick to thin upon a white ground. This alludes to the greater freedom Kashan potters and painters enjoyed following the adoption of new methods. 

During this time a new style of painting was developed to show off the new innovations in ceramic technology: the adoption of the frit body, and techniques of decoration that culminated at the very end of the century in underglaze painting. The artist has depicted fine, crisp motifs in black under brilliant glaze, while cobalt blue has been used to heighten the colouring. Wares in this new style and technique are dated from A.D. 1204 -16, and what was evidently large-scale production was only brought to a halt by the Mongol invasions towards the end of the second decade of the century. 

Related examples can be found in major museum collections today. The Al-Sabah Collection in Kuwait, for example, possesses one such Kashan bowl which appears related in size, form and decoration, featuring parallel ‘water-weed motifs’. (Reprinted in, Watson, Ceramics from Islamic Lands, London, Thames & Hudson, 2004, p.338, Cat.N.6.). Further, The Victoria and Albert Museum also has within its collection a bowl painted in underglaze black with a pale blue inner rim (Reprinted in, Lane, Early Islamic Pottery, London, Faber & Faber, 1932, pl. 86.

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom

Iznik tankard, Turkey, Late 16th-early 17th century, 21.5cm high. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

The Iznik tankard is decorated with cobalt blue and green saz leaves with half-flowers of bole-red and cobalt blue alternating with stylised hyacinths with bole-red buds on tall green stems with small green leaves. 

The shape of this tankard likely derives from German or European-shaped wooden tankards (see B. Rackham, p. 32, nu. 100). A similar example although slightly shorter (20cm high) than our example is published in Rackham, pl. 39, nu. 100A, however, their example includes serrated leaves and carnations. 

Literature: Bernard Rackham, Islamic Pottery and Italian Maiolica: Illustrated Catalogue of a Private Collection, Faber and Faber, London, 1959, p. 32.

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom

Safavid monochrome charger, Iran, 17th century, 46cm diameter. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

This large pottery turquoise-glazed monochrome gadrooned dish was made in Iran during the 17th century. The highly sought after Chinese celadon wares were still in high demand in Persia. Resultantly, they made their own local brightly-glazed monochrome wares. 

There is a nearly idential 17th century turquoise dish in Oliver Watson, Ceramics From Islamic Lands, Thames & Hudson Ltd, London, 2004, Cat. U.18 DISH, p. 465. In addition, The Victoria & Albert Museum, London, has a 17th century monochrome ewer with a vivid turquoise-glaze, Accession Number 620-1889. 

Footed ewer with a long spout and a turquoise glaze, Iran, 17th century. Earthenware, with turquoise glaze. Accession Number 620-1889. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London 2016. 

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom 

Iznik dish, Turkey, circa 1600, 26cm diameter. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

The polychrome dish is decorated with a large turquoise, blue and bole red ewer to the centre surrounded by floral sprays on a white ground. The key fret border on the rim depicted with bole red on a white ground with a black outlined border. The reverse of the dish is painted with blue and turquoise floral buds.

There is an Iznik dish (circa 1590-1600) depicted with a central red ewer in The Victoria & Albert Museum, London, Accession Number C.2044-1910. 

Dish with depiction of large red ewer, Turkey (Iznik), ca. 1590-1600. Diameter: 33.0 cm, Height: 7 cm. Fritware painted under the glaze. Accession Number C.2044-1910. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London 2016. 

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom 

Kashan calligraphic tile, Iran, 13-14th century, Ilkhanid period, 29.5cm high, 30cm wide. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017. 

The tile inscribed with part of a verse from Abdul Qasim Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh reading:

... زمین چون
“The ground, like … ”

The full verse is as follows:

زمین چون بهشتی شد اراسته
ز داد و ز بخشش پر از خواسته
"The earth became like paradise, longing for justice and forgiveness."

A similar tile can be found in The Musee du Louvre.

Provenance: Private European Collection since 1928

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom 

Iznik dish, Turkey, Second half of the 16th century, 31cm diameter. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

The polychrome dish is painted with a symmetrical composition of a central green cypress tree, cobalt blue and bole red saz leaves with roses and meandering branches to each side. The key fret border on the rim has an alternating bole red and green decoration with black outline. The reverse of the dish is decorated with alternating cobalt blue flowers with green leaves and single cintemani dots in blue and green. 

There is a similar Iznik dish in The Shangri La, Hawaii, USA, from The Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, dated to circa 1565, comprising of a symmetrical design of carnations, roses and tulips to each side of a central cypress tree with a comparable key fret border. 

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom  

Epigraphical turquoise pottery bowl, Iran or Golden Horde, Ilkhanid Period, 13th-14th century, 20cm diameter. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

The frit-ware bowl is painted in a vibrant turquoise glaze. In the centre of the bowl, there is a double-cross design with boldly painted black underglaze naskhi calligraphy to the interior of the bowl. The inner rim is decorated with a pear-shaped border and radiating lines are represented on the exterior of the bowl.

This bowl with naskhi calligraphy is a prime example of the pottery ‘Sultanabad wares’ made under the Ilkhanid Period (1256-1353). The Mongol invasions in Iran and surrounding neighbours brought a cross-culture of trade through the Silk Road. 

See a similar bowl from Iran or possibly Golden Horde in The Al-Sabah Collection, Accession Number LNS 767 C, late 13th / early 14th century, also depicted with calligraphy and similar border decoration (Watson, p. 77). 

Provenance: Private French Collection 

Literature: Watson, Ceramics From Islamic Lands: Kuwait National Museum, The Al-Sabah Collection, Thames & Hudson, London, 2004.

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom 

Persian blue and white dish, Tabriz, Iran, Early 16th century, 31.5cm diameter. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

This dish of circular form is decorated with a large central peony spray amongst leaves. The inner rim of the dish is painted with a cobalt blue and black honeycomb pattern. There is a wave border on a hatched background on the everted rim. The back of the dish is decorated with cobalt blue waterweed design. Three spur marks are visible to the front of the dish.

A similar Tabriz dish with accidental copper-turquoise splashes to the interior is in The Royal Ontario Museum, Accession Number 909.26.44; it has nearly identical decoration with a central peony spray, honeycomb design and waterweed exterior (Golombek, p. 256, pl. 74). Another late 15th or early 16th century dish with similar waterweed pattern to the exterior is in The Al-Sabah Collection, Accession Number LNS 762 C (Watson, p. 455). A third example with a similar wave border and honeycomb pattern but with a rabbit painted to the centre is in The Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Accession Number 559-1905, circa 1500-1550.

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom 

Iznik dish, Turkey, 16th century, 28.8cm diameter. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

This circular dish has an everted rim. In its centre there is a symmetrical polychrome composition of bole red roses, cobalt blue hyacinths, red tulips, red and blue carnations with green stems and leaves on a white ground. The rim is decorated with a wide wave-pattern border; the exterior has alternating floral rosettes and cloud-like motifs 

Provenance: Joseph Soustiel, Paris, 1960s-70s

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom 

Iznik dish, Turkey, 16th century, 28.5cm diameter. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

The circular dish with an everted rim is painted with a cobalt blue, green and black wave-pattern. The centre of the dish has an asymmetrical composition of bole red and blue roses, blue and red hyacinths and a blue tulip with red dots, all rising from a central sprig of leaves. The exterior of the dish is painted with alternating blue and green rosettes and cobalt blue double-tulips outlined in black. 

Provenance: Private Collection, 1950s (Published in Bernard Rackham, Islamic Pottery and Italian Maiolica: Illustrated Catalogue of a Private Collection, Faber and Faber, London, 1959, pl. 51, No. 105); Joseph Soustiel, Paris, 1960s-70s.

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom 

Iznik dish, Turkey, 16th century, 28.5cm diameter. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

This Iznik dish with scalloped rim is expertly painted with unusual cobalt blue double-tulips with green knots, bole red and green rosettes. The interior of the dish has a symmetrical composition of a large blue and red cypress tree. To each side of the cypress tree there is a symmetrical design of blue hyacinths with red roses and tulips. The exterior of the dish is painted with alternating cobalt blue double-tulips and green flowers outlined in black. 

Provenance: Joseph Soustiel, Paris, 1960s-70s

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom 

Iznik blue and white hexagonal tile, Turkey, circa 1540-45, 25.5cm high, 22.5cm wide. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

This hexagonal tile is painted in cobalt blue and turquoise under transparent glaze on a white ground. The surface of the tile is decorated with a large star. In the centre of the star there is a blue and turquoise rosette with protruding stems terminating in various flower heads.

Two similar hexagonal blue and white tiles can be found in The Victoria & Albert Museum, London, Accession Number 1019-1892, and The Louvre, Paris, carreau a l'etoile au motif fleuri rayonnant. This group of rare blue and white hexagonal tiles have been identifed from The Cinili Hamam in Istanbul. There is another similar hexagonal blue and white Iznik tile in Bilgi, Dance of Fire: Iznik Tiles and Ceramics in The Sadberk Hanim Museum and Ömer M. Koç Collections, Sadberk Hanim Museum, Istanbul, 2009, p. 90, fig. 24.  

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom 

Iznik border tile Turkey, Second half of the 16th century, 25.5cm high, 13cm wide. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

This polychrome rectangular border tile is painted in cobalt blue, turquoise and bole red outlined delicately in black. The cobalt blue ground is decorated with carnations, tulips and floral medallions alternating with white cartouches containing additional floral medallions. 

There is only one other known example in The Musee du Louvre, Paris, Accession Number 12-562952/AD7033, carreau de bordure aux compositions florales.

Provenance: Private European Collection

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom 

Iznik tile, Turkey, Second half of the 16th century, 25cm square. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

A polychrome tile of square form painted with cobalt blue, green and bole red on a white slip ground. A central star-like floral rosette is surrounded by four main flower heads on a symmetrical design with leaves and stylised lotus flowers.  

A nearly identical tile is illustrated in Bilgi, Iznik: The Ömer Koç Collection, Hülya Bilgi, Ghent, 2015, fig. 149, p. 350.

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom 

Blue and white ewer, China, Ming Dynasty, Jiajing Period with apocryphal four-character Xuande mark, 24cm high. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

The flattened pear-shaped body is painted with cobalt blue lotus scrolls on a white ground. Each side of the ewer is decorated with three floral sprays on a scrolled leafy ground on a central tear-shaped raised panel. Upright leaves are painted on the tapered neck with a diamond-pattern band set below the neck. The curved spout is decorated with floral scrolls and flames; the spout is connected to the body with the head of a makara. The end of the spout is connected to the neck with a cloud-shaped strut. The tapered neck of the ewer has an everted rim; the arched flat-handle strap is painted with floral scrolls. The top of the flat handle strap has a small circular loop. The splayed foot is also accented with lotus scrolls; there is an apocryphal four-character Xuande mark to the base. 

This Ming blue and white ewer was made during the Jiajing Period (1522-1566) in China; however, its form is based on Persian metal prototypes. 

A similar flattened pear-shaped blue and white ewer, Jiajing period (1522-1566), is illustrated in Krahl with Erbahar, Chinese Ceramics in The Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul: A Complete Catalogue, II, Yuan and Ming Dynasty Porcelains, Sotheby’s Publications, London, 1986, p. 656-657, fig. 1018. 

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom 

Blue and white porcelain huqqa base in melon form, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, China, 17th century, 15.5cm high. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

The huqqa base has a squat globular melon-like form. Painted in underglaze blue with a band of standing leaves above the drip guard. A further band of leaves forms from just below the neck with thin underglaze blue lines running in between the moulding of the lobes and reaches the last band of leaves near the base. The base of the huqqa is unglazed. 

This rare Chinese porcelain huqqa base with lobed decoration is borrowed from Indian metalwork prototypes and was made for the Indian market. 

Exhibition: China Without Dragons: Rare Pieces from Oriental Ceramic Society Members, Sotheby's, London, November 2016.

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom 

A pair of porcelain blue ewers made for the Islamic market, China, 18th century. Both 29cm high. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

A rare pair of porcelain dark blue ewers of compacted pear-shaped form and flared feet. The mouths are crescent-moon shaped; the spouts are curved. Both ewers have traces of floral gilt decoration. 

Two similar ewers are in The Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Accession Numbers 775-1888 and 1674-1876, and are published by Kerr and Mengoni, Chinese Export Ceramics, V&A Publishing, London, 2011, p. 111, pl. 158. According to Kerr, the shape of the ewers stems from Middle Eastern metalwork in combination with their crescent-shaped mouths and their dark blue glazes (Kerr, p. 110). A late 17th century bluish-white ewer made in Iran with a curved spout and crescent-moon mouth is in The British Museum, London, Accession Number OA739, and shows the same Middle Eastern form as these Chinese export ewers.

Ewer, Jingdezhen, China, 18th century. Porcelain with gold decoration on a blue ground. Diameter: 15.2 cm, Height: 28.9 cm. From the RICHARD collection, Iran. Victoria and Albert Museum, Inv. N° IS. 1674-1876. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London 2016.

Ewer, Jingdezhen, China, 18th century. Porcelain with gold decoration on a blue ground. Diameter: 15.9 cm, Height: 29.2 cm. Acquired in Persia. From the RICHARD collection. Victoria and Albert Museum, Inv. N° IS. 775-1888. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London 2016.

Ewer, Ira, Safavid dynasty, late 17th century, glossy opaque bluish-white glazed pottery. Height: 29 cm. Width: 22 cm. Depth: 16 cm. Bequeathed by John Henderson, OA+.739 © Trustees of the British Museum

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom  

Chinese blue and white ewer made for the Islamic market, Jingdezhen, 16th century, 27cm high. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

The blue and white ewer with a compressed globular body, stepped foot and trumpeted neck. The ewer, without a handle, is decorated in underglaze blue with scrolling tendrils, fans, flowers, butterflies and wan symbols with lappet bands on the shoulder and base.

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom  

Chinese blue and white huqqa base made for the Indian market, China, Kangxi period (1662-1722), 20cm high. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017.

The compressed globular body of Indian form, painted in underglaze blue with three panels of depictions of Chinese antiques decorated on a cracked ice and prunus background. The neck and cup also painted with a cracked ice and prunus ground with an unglazed and rounded base.

The form of this huqqa base derives from 17th century Indian prototypes which were made from a variety of different materials including metal, glass and precious stones.

A very similar huqqa base in the Riesco Collection was included in the OCS exhibition, Chinese Blue and White Porcelain, 14th to 19th Centuries, London, 1953-1954, no. 258 (incorrectly illustrated as no. 259, pl. 16d). An example of the same shape and same period but in famille verte enamels, decorated with stylised Islamic calligraphy, is in the British Museum, no. 1956, 1017.2, donated to the museum by R Soame Jenyns and exhibited in the museum’s exhibition ‘Fascination with Nature’ 10th January – 5th August 2008. Two further examples are in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, one decorated with floral garlands in underglaze blue, originally bought in Iran, museum no. 1596-1876, the other from the Salting Bequest decorated in a café-au-lait glaze with blue and white medallions, museum no. C.959-1910.

Another example in underglaze blue and white of the same form is in the collection of the Topkapi Saray Palace, TKS 15/4312, illustrated in John Ayers, Regina Krahl and others, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul, London, 1986, 3 quarto vols, pl. 2084, p. 987. Another blue and white example is illustrated in Art from the World of Islam in The David Collection, Dr Kjeld von Folsach, Copenhagen, 2001, pl. 242, p. 179.

A similar Chinese blue and white porcelain huqqa is illustrated in a Golkonda portrait of a prince seated in a garden setting, circa 1675, see Ludwig V. Habighorst, Love For Pleasure: Betel, Tobacco, Wine and Drugs in Indian Miniatures, Ragaputra Edition, Koblenz, 2007, p. 47 and 48, fig. 22, 23. 

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom  

Kraak dish decorated with Persian ladies, Jingdezhen, China, 17th century, 29cm diameter. Amir Mohtashemi Ltd at Brafa Art Fair, Brussels, 21-29 january 2017. 

A blue and white dish with two Persian ladies seated centrally with feathers in their caps and surrounded by two borders of foliage. The border painted with alternating panels of working farmers, tulips, and various other flora.

Two similar Kraak dishes decorated with Persian ladies are held at the British Museum on loan from Sir Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, registration number PDF c.645 and the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore, Accession number 1995.3897.

Kraak dish depicting two Persian figures. Porcelain with underglaze cobalt-blue decoration, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, Ming dynasty, about AD1600–1644. On loan from Sir Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, PDF c.645 © Trustees of the British Museum

Amir Mohtashemi Ltd. Indian and Islamic Works of Art, 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8 4BG, United Kingdom