A Fars silver-inlaid brass candlestick, probably Shiraz, West Persia, 14th century

cast in sections, incised and inlaid with silver, the base of truncated conical form, the lower section encircled by a ridge, the projecting shoulder leading to a concave drip-tray, the short waisted cylindrical neck rising to a broad candle socket tapering at the mouth, decorated with bands of calligraphy against a foliate scroll ground bordered by minor bands of strapwork and scrolling vine bands

body possibly reduced in height, candle socket may be an ancient replacement, overall good condition, minor surface abrasions, split to lower section with associated repair, losses to silver inlay, pitting and patination, as viewed
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inscription

'izz li-mawlana al-malik a' zsam (sic.) al-sultan al-'alim al-'adil al-muzaffar al-mansur al-mujahid

'Glory to our Lord, the most Great King, the Learned Sultan, the Just, the Triumphant, the Victorious, the Holy-Warrior'

This handsome candlestick belongs to a small group attributable to Fars, western Iran. The attribution to Fars is based on an inscription on a candlestick of the same shape in the Pars Museum, Shiraz, which bears the titles used by the rulers of Fars at this period including the distinctive phrase 'inheritor of the kingdom of Solomon' (see Melikian-Chirvani, A.S., "Bronzes et cuivres iraniens du Louvre. 1. L'école du Fars au XIVe siècle", Journal Asiatique, 1969, pp.19-36; and Melikian-Chirvani, A.S., "Le royaume de Salomon", Le Monde Iranien et L'Islam, vol.1, 1971, pp.1-41). A fragmentary candlestick of this type is in the Aron Collection (see Allan 1986, no.36, pp.136-7). For the Mamluk prototype of the form, see the candlestick in the Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo (inv. no.3982; see Weit 1932, pl.XXXII).

It is possible that the present candlestick may have been reduced in height at some point in its history; this would explain the unusual proportions of the upper section. The candle socket may be a later replacement although the engraved and inlaid details are an exact match to the main body suggesting an ancient repair.