Description
This finely engraved and pierced brass lantern is designed in five sections. The middle and central part is of a typical globular form and is attached to a curved round base at the bottom and to a long neck form to the top. A finely pierced and engraved domed shape lid sits on top of the lantern. A casted and engraved handle is attached to the lantern upper section. A separate and removable round candleholder is fitted to the base. Both lantern and lid are decorated overall with bands and scenes of various shaped cartouches with stylised open work scrolls of floral and foliate motives, a very fine and delicate band of engraved and pierced arabesque of palmette designs are decorating the upper part of the central piece of the lantern, openwork arabesque motif to the central part of the lantern and arabesque vegetal and arabesque motives surrounding them.
The lantern and lid are decorated with a row of oval, lozenge or lobed cartouches, highlighted by a frame of fine thin line of silver inlay, featuring different realistic and mythical scenes, such as a large scene of a lion attacking a dragon, a man attacking a lion, two men mounting a large dragon, a man riding a horse, a man on the back of an elephant, a couple riding rhinoceros, acrobats, seated men, a wondering dervish and various animals such as monkeys, deer, birds and a lion. Other mythical scenes include a lion attacking a huge snake and a mounted horseman spearing a dragon. There are also various scenes of grotesque and curious depictions of human figures, mythological creatures, monsters, genies (jinns), spirits, and demons.
This magnificent multipurpose lantern can be used as a candleholder or burner for incense, and it can be laid on a plane or flat surface or it can be hung on a hook.
For a similar example please see Persian lost treasures by Vladimir Loukonine & Anatoli Ivanov, lot 279, page 238.
For very similar examples, please see the two covered vessels exhibited at the Islamic Gallery at the British Museum, Henderson Bequest, OA 78 12-30 741 & 742.
Condition: very good, old repair, minor cracks to base.
Dimensions: 40 cm high.