4th Jun, 2025 11:00
Indian, Islamic, Himalayan and South-East Asian Art and Greek and Roman Antiquities
94
AN ENGRAVED BRASS EWER, PROBABLY DECCAN, SOUTHERN INDIA, CIRCA 1500
in the form of a lota, with bulbous body, cylindrical neck and everted rim, the body and neck densely engraved with interlaced arabesques on hatched ground in four horizontal bands, the neck and middle body bands including calligraphic cartouches, triple hole on one side for missing spout, traces of tinning, 14.5cm high; 17cm diam.
Inscriptions: (i) Around the neck: ‘Izz li-mawlana al-sultan a[l-malik al-kamil] al-ghazi al-mujahid sayf al-dunya wa’l-din sha‘ban ‘azza nasruhu, (‘Glory to our lord, the sultan, al-Malik a[l-Kamil], the holy warrior, the champion of the faith, Sayf al-Dunya wa’l-Din Sha’ban, may his victory be glorious.’); (ii) Around the body: ‘Izz li-mawlana al-sultan al-malik ... al-[k]amil al-‘alim al-‘amil … al-ghazi al-mujahid sayf al-dunya wa’l-din sha‘ban ‘azza nasruhu, (‘Glory to our lord, the sultan, al-Malik ... al-[K]amil, the learned, the diligent … the holy warrior, the champion of the faith, Sayf al-Dunya wa’l-Din Sha’ban, may his victory be glorious.’). The inscriptions appear to be copied from a piece made for the Mamluk sultan al-Kamil Sha'ban.
For vessels of similar form in the Victoria and Albert Museum, see Melikian 1984, nos.113, 114 & 116, p.255-259.
Sold for £5,500
in the form of a lota, with bulbous body, cylindrical neck and everted rim, the body and neck densely engraved with interlaced arabesques on hatched ground in four horizontal bands, the neck and middle body bands including calligraphic cartouches, triple hole on one side for missing spout, traces of tinning, 14.5cm high; 17cm diam.
Inscriptions: (i) Around the neck: ‘Izz li-mawlana al-sultan a[l-malik al-kamil] al-ghazi al-mujahid sayf al-dunya wa’l-din sha‘ban ‘azza nasruhu, (‘Glory to our lord, the sultan, al-Malik a[l-Kamil], the holy warrior, the champion of the faith, Sayf al-Dunya wa’l-Din Sha’ban, may his victory be glorious.’); (ii) Around the body: ‘Izz li-mawlana al-sultan al-malik ... al-[k]amil al-‘alim al-‘amil … al-ghazi al-mujahid sayf al-dunya wa’l-din sha‘ban ‘azza nasruhu, (‘Glory to our lord, the sultan, al-Malik ... al-[K]amil, the learned, the diligent … the holy warrior, the champion of the faith, Sayf al-Dunya wa’l-Din Sha’ban, may his victory be glorious.’). The inscriptions appear to be copied from a piece made for the Mamluk sultan al-Kamil Sha'ban.
For vessels of similar form in the Victoria and Albert Museum, see Melikian 1984, nos.113, 114 & 116, p.255-259.
Auction: Indian, Islamic, Himalayan and South-East Asian Art and Greek and Roman Antiquities, 4th Jun, 2025
Auction Location: London, UK
The sales include sculpture, bronzes, metalwork, textiles and paintings representative of the richly varied styles seen across the Indian subcontinent, from early Buddhist and Jain art to Mughal and European-influenced works of art of the colonial era.
Works of art from all parts of the Islamic world, from Morocco in the west, through the Middle East, Persia and Central Asia to muslim China and South East Asia in the East are included in the sale. Objects range in date from the early centuries of Islam to the early 20th century at a wide range of price levels.
The sales also include Khmer, Thai and Javanese sculpture and bronzes, textiles from the Indonesian islands, Thai ceramics, Burmese lacquer and Buddhist manuscripts. Works of art range from the early Indian-influenced styles from 9th century Java to the elaborate carved and lacquered woodwork from Colonial Burma.
For full details of bibliographic references, see pages 192-193 of the page turning and printed versions of the catalogue.
PUBLIC EXHIBITION:
Sunday 1st June 12pm - 4pm
Monday 2nd June 10am - 8pm
Tuesday 3rd June 10am - 5pm
CONTACT US
Lara Defries
lara.defries@olympiaauctions.com
Mr Arthur Millner
arthur.millner@olympiaauctions.com
Nicholas Shaw
nicholas.shaw@olympiaauctions.com
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PUBLIC EXHIBITION:
Sunday 1st June 12pm - 4pm
Monday 2nd June 10am - 8pm
Tuesday 3rd June 10am - 5pm
