A cast brass octagonal brazier, India or Central Asia, 15th century

Acquired by the present owner in London, 6 April 1995.

Previously in a private collection, London, pre-1970.

The polygonal form with openwork sides has its origins in the Seljuq period (see Pope 1939, vol.6, fig.1379B, and von Folsach 2001, p.313, no.500), and became popular in the fifteenth and sixteenth century across the Islamic lands.

The form and decoration of the present brazier offer various possibilities as to its origin. The dragon’s head legs and the pawn-shaped finials are close to those found on a brazier attributed to fifteenth century India, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, inv. no.1988.293 (published in Zebrowski 1997, p.122, no.142), while the openwork technique and the crenellation around the upper and lower borders are comparable to those found on two examples both attributed to fifteenth century Persia, one now in the al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait, (inv. no.LNS 83M; published in ibid., p.122, no.141; although this same example is catalogued as ‘Indian, probably Deccan’ in Curatola 2010, no.107), the other published in Pope 1939, vol.6, fig.1379A.

Early braziers, such the current example, are rare to the market. A smaller example, attributed to thirteenth or fourteenth century Persia, was offered in these rooms, 3 October 2012, lot 189.