Page 48 - ART OF THE ISLAMIC AND INDIAN WORLDS Carpets, Ceramics Objects, Christie's London Oct..27, 2022

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A KASHAN MOULDED POTTERY BULL
(GAV) WITH HOWDAH
IRAN, 12TH CENTURY
In the form of a bull with a howdah on its back, with
a turquoise glaze all over, intact
8in. (20.3cm.) high; 6¿in. (15.5cm.) long
£25,000-35,000 US$29,000-40,000
€29,000-40,000
PROVENANCE:
Excavated Awdan Tepe, Gurgan, 1946-7
Although monumental sculpture is virtually
non-existent in the Islamic world, small scale
modelling was a common product of potters in
Iran in the pre-Mongol period (Oliver Watson,
Ceramics of Iran, London, 2020, p.318, no.161).
Lions and bulls/cows (gav), such as that offered
here, were amongst the most popular subjects
– perhaps with astrological significance as Leo
and Taurus are zodiacal signs and the domicile of
the benevolent planets the Sun and Venus (Toby
Falk, Treasures of Islam, exhibition catalogue, New
Jersey, 1985, p.233). These sculptures all appear
to have some function - the type of which survives
in most plentiful numbers are aquamaniles. The
mouth of our gav is formed as a spout and was
probably intended for such a purpose.
Our gav is a particularly interesting hybrid.
Although the monochrome turquoise glaze,
and the curled horns are fairly standard and
associated with the production of Kashan, no
other examples of a gav are known with a howdah
on their back. The howdah on our gavis of a
type frequently found on elephant figures which
Gibson associates more with Raqqa because of
an example in the Khalili Collection which has
a ‘laqabi’ glaze (inv. POT 1285; Melanie Gibson,
Takũk and TImthal: A Study of Glazed Ceramic
Sculpture from Iran and Syria circa 1150-1250, PhD
thesis, SOAS, 2010).
46 In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes and/or an Artist Resale Royalty
fee are also payable if the lot has a tax or λ symbol. Check Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue.
A NISHAPUR MOULDED POTTERY STORAGE JAR
IRAN, 12TH CENTURY
Of bulbous form with a straight neck and everted mouth, covered with a
cobalt-blue glaze, a band of moulded decoration below the neck with four
sphinxes alternating with arabesques, a band of kufic below
10in. (25.5cm.) high
£10,000-15,000 US$12,000-17,000
€12,000-17,000
PROVENANCE:
Excavated Rayy, 1943
INSCRIPTIONS:
With a band of kufic calligraphy around the body, (undeciphered)
The introduction of fritware to Iranian pottery greatly increased the
possibilities of ceramic art since stonepaste offered a better adhesive
surface than natural clays (E. J. Grube, Cobalt and Lustre, Oxford, 1994,
p.147). Monochrome wares like this were produced using a transparent glaze
coloured with cobalt which was mined near Kashan although it was used
in pottery centres across Seljuk Iran. Vessels such as the present lot were
created out of two horizontally-joined hemispheres, the lower one turned on
the wheel and the uppermost moulded to incorporate a decorative band. On
the present lot, this band features running animals and a particularly elegant,
though illegible, band of kufic calligraphy. A similarly-shaped jar, produced in
the same technique and with a purely figural decorative band, sold in these
Rooms, 23 October 2007, lot 82
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A KASHAN POTTERY JUG
IRAN, 13TH CENTURY
White slip with clear glaze, the vertical bands of white naskh incised on a black
ground with cobalt-blue edges alternating with cobalt-blue bands with black
vine, the straight neck decorated with fish, below a band of cobalt-blue at the
mouth, the handle painted black, on slightly splayed foot
8in. (20.3cm.) high
£8,000-12,000 US$9,200-14,000
€9,200-14,000
PROVENANCE:
Excavated Awdan Tepe, Gurgan, 1946-7
INSCRIPTIONS:
Down the bands on the sides, repeats of: al-'izz al-da'im wa'l-iqbal al-za'id,
'Perpetual glory and increasing prosperity'
The early 13th century saw the appearance of underglaze-painted pottery in
Iran, the production of which was centred on Kashan. Black and cobalt-
blue pigments were applied to a stonepaste body before a turquoise or
transparent glaze was applied. The chemical reaction between the black
pigment and the glaze ensured the crisp definition of the designs in spite
of the slight run to the blue which is characteristic of this group. Another
typical feature are the black ‘waterweed’ motifs which run down the blue
stripes. There is a larger jug with a very similar profile to the present lot in
the Sarikhani collection (Oliver Watson, Ceramics of Iran, New Haven CT,
2020, p. 305). A jug belonging to the same group with a wider neck was sold
in these Rooms, 25 June 2020, lot 4. 36
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