A large and rare Abbasid tin-glazed dish, Iran or possibly Egypt, 10th century

of wide flat form with angled cavetto and flattened rim, covered in an opacified tin glaze and decorated in the glaze with a single line inscription (undeciphered) in copper green

breaks and repairs, touching in along the repair lines, 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."

Two similar dishes, published by O. Watson, are in the al-Sabah Collection in Kuwait (Watson 2004, pp.179-180).  Watson notes: "A group of similar dishes in the Cairo Museum, and the occurrence of fragments of similar shaped pieces with opaque white glaze from Fustat, suggest an attribution to Egypt.

However a dish of identical type with the inscription "blessing to the owner" in the Boston Museum of Fine Art (35.858) is recorded as having been excavated in Iran in 1934 in the area of Rayy known as Bibi Zobeidah, in a test-square of the Umayyad-Abbasid period, and dated by the excavators to no later than the 9th century. It is highly unlikely that such a piece was exported so far at the time, and it is possible that the Egyptian Museum pieces were acquired in the last century through the art market.

However a fragmentary piece in the Benaki Collection is recorded as coming from Fustat, see Philon 1980, no.107.  There also remains the possibility, however, that similar pieces were made at both places.  The dish shape itself is not uncommon in Abbasid wares and is found across Egypt, Syria and Iraq [see, for instance, Soustiel 1985, fig.25, p.47]; it no doubt copies a metal tray, see Raby 1986, especially figs 9-10." (ibid, p.179)