A Safavid Brass Ewer (aftabe) with Armenian Inscription, Persia, 17th Century

of baluster form with a pear-shaped body resting on a raised splayed foot with serpentine spout terminating in a dragon-head mouth, the long flaring neck with bulbous moulding, engraved with arcades of pendant palmettes and cartouches reserved on a solid ground, the faceted spout decorated with narrow bands of scrolling split-palmettes, inscriptions to shoulder and belly

pitting and patination consistent with age, abrasions and nibbles to base, 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.
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inscriptions
Owner's name as: 'Its owner Qazi (the judge) Mirza Muhammad'

A later Armenian inscription with the date 1801:
'Memorial to the hospital by the hand of...[presented to the] Sacristan Ter Yohannes 1801'

The later Armenian inscription suggests a provenance linked with the Armenian colony in New Julfa, Isfahan. The origin of the colony dates back to the time of Shah Abbas I (1585-1629) when the population of Armenian villages from the Araxes valley were moved to Isfahan, in order to create a no-man's land in the path of the Ottoman advance and bring a skilled artisan and merchant contingent to his new capital.

The ewer with a basin in matching style is used during the liturgy at the point of ablution when the priest washes his hands whilst reciting the prayer "I will wash my hands in innocence; and will go round thine altar, O Lord" (Psalm 26). The dragon in a Christian context is a symbol of wisdom (see Genesis 3:1, "The serpent was the most wise of all the wild beasts") and croziers and staffs used by Armenian clergy have hooks made up of dragon heads in a confronted position.

A similar example in the Victoria and Albert Museum is illustrated in Melikian-Chirvani 1982, p.316, no.142, dated to the late 16th-early 17th century. Melikian-Chirvani writes, "With its rather heavy body and very slender elongated neck terminated in a trumpet-like opening, the ewer is typical of the Shah Abbas period."

We are grateful to Dr. Vrej Nersessian for his assistance in the cataloguing of this lot.