AN OTTOMAN PARCEL GILT AND ENAMELLED BOWL, TURKEY, CIRCA 1500

of shallow form with vertical foot ring, a dark green, grey and light blue enamelled plaque attached at the centre with a faceted cube, the rim engraved with a chain band, the cavetto with three arabesque medallions between double-crescent motifs on a ring punched ground, and a ring of repoussé pointed panels at the centre, on the outside three interwoven leafy stems on a punched ground, and on the base an elaborate arabesque medallion

From the Lagonico Collection

pitting, patination and surface abrasions to reverse of cavetto, minor nibbles and rubbing to rim and foot ring, minor chips to enamel, 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."

This rare and beautiful bowl, formerly housed in the Lagonico collection, belongs to a group of silver-gilt bowls which gained popularity throughout the Ottoman empire in the sixteenth century. These bowls were the products of a miniaturist variant of larger metalwork which had been prevalent before hand. Originally derived from early Persian and Timurid style metalwork, they are constructed of sheet silver, often with gilding, with the decoration in relief, produced in a combination of repoussé and hammering.

Bowls such as this are thought to have been produced in the Balkans, an area which housed numerous gold and silver mines and acted as one of the principal metalworking hubs of the Ottoman empire.

Variations of the design seen on this bowl can also be found elsewhere in Ottoman court art of this period. Indeed, it is characteristic in its combination of formal and naturalistic floral and foliate elements. A form of this design appears on Iznik tile work of the 1520s and the apparent relation between silverwork of this type and Iznik in general has been discussed elsewhere (Carswell 1998, p.33). The motifs used to decorate Ottoman Balkan silver work also appear on some Iznik pieces and this is the source for some designs on our dish. The pointed panels and the band of interlacing split-palmettes are, in particular, characteristic of the Eastern European pieces (see Fehér 1975 for examples of this metalwork). These rarely carry information regarding their manufacture and hence have been attributed various dates.

What makes the present piece unique amongst its counterparts is the extensive enamel work in the central medallion; such delicate and detailed decorative elements are found in only a small handfull of gilt bowls from the period.

Stefanos Lagonikos, founder of the Lagonico Collection, was a prominent member of the wealthy community of Greek merchants residing in Alexandria in the early twentieth century. The Greek settlers in Alexandria were renowned patrons of the arts, and whilst many collections were comprised primarily of European art, a select few, including the prolific collector Anthony Benaki, began accruing significant pieces of Islamic art. The collection of Stefanos Lagonikos consisted of numerous dishes, jugs and bowls covering almost the entire Ottoman period, representing one of the finest private collections of its kind.

For a further discussion of bowls of this kind, see Petsopoulos 1982, pp.22-23. A similar bowl was sold through these rooms on 25th April, 1996, Lot 99.