A Mughal silver and enamelled rosewater sprinkler, India, 18th century

made of two component parts, of baluster form on a shallow splayed foot with slender tapering neck rising to a lotiform terminal, decorated with repoussé cusped cartouches filled with flowering plants reserved against a green enamelled ground, the shoulder and neck with raised arcades of overlapping foliate forms

in good condition, areas of loss to areas of enamelled decoration, as viewed
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The form and decoration of this sprinkler relate to earlier seventeenth century examples one of which is in the Victoria and Albert Museum (see Zebrowski 1997, p.41, no.12) incised with the coat-of-arms of the third Earl of Denbigh. The current lot compared to the seventeenth century example has more raised petal forms around the neck and the floral motifs are less Persian in style following the more fomulaic approach associated with the eighteenth century.