A Rare and Important Iznik 'Potters' Style' dish, Turkey, circa 1530-40

of rounded form, decorated in underglaze cobalt blue and turquoise, the well decorated with a central lotus palmette on a bed of prunus blossom and encircled by stems of saz rosette, the cavetto with an arcade of cusped cartouches enclosing bouquets of tulips, the rim with a band of interlocking split-palmettes on a blue ground, the reverse with a band scrolling tendrils issuing lotus blossoms

In excellent condition, minor rim chips, 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 "Potters' style" was seen as an abandonment of the formal rumi-hatayi  of the Baba Nakkas style.  The style was the 'first tentative step towards the exuberant floral naturalism of the second half of the sixteenth century.  Their directness of theme is matched by a simpler and more spontaneous draughtmanship.  They substitute an almost quirky charm for the intellectual abstraction of rumi-hatayi compositions.' (see Atasoy and Raby 1989, p.115)