A bronze lion-form incense burner, Khurasan, 12th century

standing on all fours with large pad-shaped paws, with hinged neck and head with ridged nose and eyebrows, large openwork eyes and pointed ears and whiskers, the body and neck pierced and engraved throughout with palmette scrolls

pitting and patination throughout, tail missing, some minor repairs, brazier pan still fitted within interior, overall good condition, 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."

Incense burners of this kind, produced in the northeast of Iran in the twelfth century, take a distinct zoomorphic shape which sets them apart from the more simple, purely functional burners.

As a utilitarian type, the incense burner found its way into Islamic culture through Byzantine influence, and early Islamic incense burners bear a strong resemblance to Coptic examples. As time went by traditional Persian modes of ornament came to bear on the production of incense burners and the current piece is a fine and outstanding example of this stylistic confluence. 

The present incense burner is one of a small group of like objects of zoomorphic form. The largest example, standing at 84cm., is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and another fine example exists in the Hermitage Museum (see Masterpieces of Islamic Art in The Hermitage Museum, Cairo, 1990, p.41). The current piece is comparable to an example in the Cleveland Museum of Art (see Metalwork in Medieval Islamic Art, New York, 1983, p.57), the two lions are of similar size and have identical opening mechanisms, perforation and bodily structure. Khurasanian metalworkers embraced several zoomorphic designs, including partridge- and duck -form incense burners, but feline examples such as this are generally considered to be the finest of the group.