Arts of the Islamic World
Arts of the Islamic World
AN OTTOMAN GILT-COPPER (TOMBAK) LIDDED EWER, WITH ASSOCIATED BASIN AND FILTER, TURKEY, 18TH CENTURY
Auction Closed
October 23, 04:16 PM GMT
Estimate
15,000 - 25,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
AN OTTOMAN GILT-COPPER (TOMBAK) LIDDED EWER, WITH ASSOCIATED BASIN AND FILTER, TURKEY, 18TH CENTURY
the ewer with truncated pyriform body with tall waisted neck, applied swan-necked spout and handle, hinged domical lid topped by stylised pinecone, hammered, engraved and punched decoration of floral garlands, together with a large basin and detachable openwork filter, en-suite design
ewer: 33.5cm. height
basin: 9.6 by 38.2cm.
filter: 23cm. diam.
Tombak wares became particularly popular during the eighteenth and nineteenth century for their gold-like quality (Petsopoulos 1982, pp.33-35). During Ottoman times it was considered inappropriate for vessels in solid gold to be used for utilitarian purposes; copper-gilt (tombak) wares were preferred instead. A number of tombak objects from the royal kitchenware are now in the Topkapi Palace Museum, including a sherbet pitcher, a rose-water sprinkler and a ewer comparable in form to the present piece (Istanbul 1986, pp.43-45, pl.2 and pl.3). Tombak manufacture entailed applying gold leaf and mercury to amalgam-gilded copper. A tombak ewer of almost identical form and decoration was sold in these rooms, 25 October 2017, lot 158.