A carved Alabaster Mihrab, Persia, 10th-11th Century

finely carved with Arabic inscriptions in alabaster, bordered with vegetal scrolls in relief

Mahboubian Collection, New York, prior to 1981
Spink and Son Ltd, after 1981

nine breaks in the stone with associated restoration, chips to the top left and bottom right corners, surface abrasions consistent with age, 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."

inscriptions
The inscriptions include: The shahada, invocations to God, shi'a prayers and a historic inscription:

'.... The son of Abi'l-Qasim Isma'il son of Abi'l-Hasan 'Abbad son of al-'Abbas ordered the construction of this Congregational mosque'

It is signed as: 'Work of Muhammad ibn 'Ali'

The 'Ibn Abbad' mentioned in the inscription may refer to Abu'l Qasim Ismail ibn Abbad (b.938), vizier of two Buyid Amirs (Mu'ayaid al-Dawla and Fakhr al-Dawla) in the second half of the tenth century, becoming grand vizier in 984. In 987-88 he undertook an expedition to Tabaristan, arranged affairs there and captured several fortresses. Ibn Abbad died in al Raiy in Safar 385 (March 995) and was buried in Isfahan ('Ibn Abbad', EI 1, 1934)

The wealthy viziers of the Buyid dynasty, who built and endowed numerous mosques, descended from the Sassanians and founded a Shi'a confederation around the area of the Caspian Sea, holding complete military power over the Abbasid Caliphs in Baghdad. Their Shi'a denomination did not prevent them from acknowledging the Sunni caliphate.

There are extremely few mihrabs which are reliably dateable to this period, and this example, which is of fine quality, is perhaps the only one to be made of alabaster. Although a number of carved alabaster pieces are known, mostly tombstones, they are usually small, fragmentary and rare. The precise location of the mosque which originally housed this mihrab remains unclear and may no longer be standing.