A Small Abbasid Polychrome Lustre Pottery Bowl, Persia or Mesopotamia, 9th Century

of rounded form with everted rim and short foot, painted over the glaze with brown, golden and ochre-coloured lustre with a geometric pattern of triangles and dots in a central medallion enclosed by a foliate dotted border

One crack and one small section of the rim missing and replaced with plaster, otherwise in good condition with glaze intact, reverse stained with dark deposit, 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 bowl belongs to the earliest polychrome lustre group and relates to the lustre tiles in the Great Mosque of Kairouan dating to the second half of the ninth century. Comparable examples can be found in the Tareq Rajab Museum, Kuwait (see Fehervari, G., Ceramics of the Islamic World, 2000, pp.42-3).