A Rare Samarkand Calligraphic Dish Painted in Prawn-Pink, Central Asia, 10th Century

of truncated conical form with steep flaring walls on a short foot, painted in prawn-pink and brown slip on a cream slip ground with a central palmette enclosed in a roundel on a stippled ground encircled by a radial inscription in bold pink, the interstices of the design scattered with shaped panels filled with brown stippling interspersed with larger pink dots, the back with bold stylised leaves

Breaks and repairs, plaster infill, 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
yara al-bakhil bi-nayl (?) al-mal wa wahida inna a [l-jawad] yara fi malihi subula

'The miser sees one purpose in obtaining wealth, while the generous one sees [many] possibilities in his wealth'

An unusual and delightful touch is the way that the calligrapher paints the last word subula in a small hand in a drop-shaped motif.

Related calligraphic wares are known from Afrasiyab (Samarkand), see Terres secrètes de Samarcande. Céramiques du VIIIe au XIIIe siècle, Paris, 1992, nos. 132, 144, 146 and 147, p.55. The prawn-pink inscriptions are the rarest and most sought-after.