Arts of the Islamic World
Arts of the Islamic World
A SET OF FIVE PORCELAIN BOWLS AND DISHES WITH 'FAMILLE ROSE' DECORATION FROM A SERVICE MADE FOR MA'SUD MIRZA ZILL AL-SULTAN, CHINA AND PERSIA, DATED 1297 AH/1879-80 AD AND 1301 AH/1883-4 AD
Auction Closed
October 23, 04:16 PM GMT
Estimate
8,000 - 12,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
A SET OF FIVE PORCELAIN BOWLS AND DISHES WITH 'FAMILLE ROSE' DECORATION FROM A SERVICE MADE FOR MA'SUD MIRZA ZILL AL-SULTAN, CHINA AND PERSIA, DATED 1297 AH/1879-80 AD AND 1301 AH/1883-4 AD
of varying sizes, the five large, deep, porcelain bowls decorated with bright polychrome colours and lobed medallions containing interior scenes with figures alternating with floral bouquets with birds and butterflies on a gold ground, the exteriors with en-suite decoration and inscriptive medallions, each set on a matching dish of same design with inscriptive medallion at its centre and plain exterior
(10)
dishes: 16cm; 21.8cm; 24.4cm; 36.6cm; 36.8cm.
bowls: 5.7 by 11.6cm; 6.7 by 14.4cm; 7.5 by 20.5cm; 15 by 36cm; 16 by 37.4cm.
inscriptions
‘Commissioned by His Excellency, the auspicious, the most glorious, the most high, the most noble, the eminent Sultan Mas’ud Mirza Yamin al-Dawlah Zill al-Sultan, 1297 AH (1879-80 AD)’
The date on the smallest dish is: 1301 AH (1883-4 AD).
Zill al-Sultan (1849-1917) a son of Nasir al-Din Shah and a powerful Prince who held Governorship of most of the southern provinces with his own army and British support, attempting to replace Nasir al-Din Shah. His territory was finally reduced to Isfahan in 1887-88. For his full bibliography, see M. Bamdad, Dictionary of National Biography of Iran, 1700-1900, vol.4, Tehran, 1966, pp.78-100.