A Kashan Lustre Dish with a seated couple, intertwined dragons and inscriptions, Persia, Early 13th century

of open form with flaring walls and everted rim on a broad low foot, painted in brown lustre with an opaque tin glaze, a central medallion enclosing a seated couple against a lustre ground scratched through with scrolls, leaves, and animals, the cavetto composed of two bands, thin strokes of naskh script reserved on lustre and a band of pseudo-Kufic between borders of intertwined and confronting dragons, the rim reserve-decorated with a band of naskh script

Perpetual Glory, Medieval Islamic Ceramics From The Harvey B. Plotnick Collection, The Art Institute of Chicago, 2007.

O. Pancaroglu, Perpetual Glory, Medieval Islamic Ceramics From The Harvey B. Plotnick Collection, The Art Institute of Chicago, 2007, pp.133 no.86

Overall good condition, restored from fragments, craquelure and minor chips to the rim, 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

Around the inner rim, a Persian quatrain, followed by benediction in Arabic:
ey del .... sanam del dari
bihude mafarsay tan andar khwari
kan mah-e setam-kar ze dard o gham-e to
fare[gh ze to] anast ki to mi-nakoni
al-'izz al-da'im

'O heart! .... You have given yourself to that beloved,
Do not wear yourself out in vain under distress,
Because that tyrannical beauty, from your sorrow and anguish,
Is free from care, so you should not [wear yourself out]
Perpetual Glory'

al-khayr yabqa wa an tala al-zaman bihi (wa alza/man bihi)
wa al-sharr akhbath ma aw'it min zadi / baraka

'The good remains no matter how much time passes
And evil is more wicked than you could take. Blessing'

Around the inner body, two Persian quatrains, one not fully deciphered:
farda to'i be-kar chun khame-ye man
pirahan-e kaghadh-e man bovad jame-ye man
bardashte giri shalm (?) az name-ye man
gardande-ye 'alami beh an khame-ye man

'Tomorrow, you will be at work like my pen,
The vest [i.e. sheet] of my paper will be my clothes,
You will take it and remove the gum (?) from my letter,
A world will be turned with that pen of mine'

.... sheyda'i man
andishi azin ya rabb to tanha'i-e man
sabra che koni ze-del sawda'i-e man
... man

'.... my being in love,
Do you consider this, O Lord! Of my loneliness
O patience! What will you do with the passion of my heart?
..... of mine'

Around the outer wall, two Persian quatrains, one not fully deciphered:
goftam ke magar ghamat bovad darmanam
key danestam ke ba ghamat dar-manam
bar khak-e darat fetade mi-danestam
kandar pey-e to cho halqe bar dar manam

'I wondered if there would be a remedy for [my] anguish of you
How could I know that I would remain with the anguish of you
Fallen at your door, I knew
That I would remain attached to you, like a ring [i.e. knocker] on your door'

ey del ....
ey jan ze kashidan-e setam sar-shu'i
zin kar gar ... bovad ta key
.... shu'i

'O heart! ...
O soul! If you wash your head of the tyranny [you receive]
Until when this will be ... if ....'

It ends with:
al-'izz al-da'im wa al-iqbal
'Perpetual Glory and Prosperity'