A Damascus pottery dish, Syria, second half 16th century

of rounded form with sloping bracket-edged rim, decorated in underglaze apple-green, manganese purple and cobalt blue outlined in black with a central medallion with a quatrefoil design filled with floral scrolls in green and purple reserved on a cobalt blue ground with palmette arabesques, the cavetto left plain, the border with breaking wave design, the back with a broad floral scroll and black borders

Intact and in very good condition, minor rim chips, some iron staining in the glaze, no restoration, 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 Syrian dish is a fine example of Damascus ware of the second half of the sixteenth century.  The arrival of Turkish potters from Iznik, dispatched by Suleyman the Magnificent to work on tiles for the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem in the 1550s, brought technical as well as artistic improvements to Syrian pottery production.  The design here is based on an Iznik model, the glaze is brilliant and glossy, and the white ground technically superior, reflecting the innovations of the new workshop.