**Originally Listed At $1500**

Ancient Near East / Western Asia, Persia (Iran), Nishapur or Kashan, ca. late 10th century to early 13th century CE. An incredible mold-made ceramic pitcher with a piriform body, a corseted, flanged neck, and a slightly flared mouth with unpronounced rim. A conjoined strap handle joins the rim to the lower body. Much of the body - aside from the small disc foot and a little area above it - is coated in thick, brilliant turquoise glaze that has formed thick drops around its lower edge. Thick black frets encircle the rim while thick black lines emerge from the neckline and reach almost to the bottom tip of the glaze, creating a bold decorative program. Size: 5" W x 6.6" H (12.7 cm x 16.8 cm)

Nishapur was a center of politics and culture in medieval Persia, and their pottery is some of the most unique and beautiful we see from this time period. Turquoise pieces like this example are the result of technological innovation at the end of the 10th century. The body of this vessel was made of finely ground quartz mixed with clay; this created a white surface upon which the artists could pour colorful glaze and sometimes paint additional designs. The glaze is alkaline, with a copper base to give it its stunning color and would have been poured over the clay. Manganese creates the black accents visible in some areas of the surface. Scholars believe that such Nishapur pieces may have been inspired by the blue and white glazed pottery that travelled the Silk Road from Tang Dynasty China; however, the end result was clearly not just an imitation, but rather an entirely different, radical style that developed in Nishapur.

Provenance: private California, USA collection, by descent, moved from Germany in 1997, originally collected in the 1970s in Hamburg, Germany

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#155954

Rim is repaired on one side, otherwise in fine condition, with great craquelure on surface and light deposits. Small chips, nicks, and scratches commensurate with age including some tiny losses to the glaze. Faint iridescence on surface.