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An important Ottoman silk and metal-thread external curtain (burqa) for the Holy Ka'ba door, bearing the name of Sultan Selim II (r.1566-74), Turkey, circa 1800
Estimate
100,000 - 150,000 GBP
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Description
- Silk and metal-thread
of rectangular form with a door slip in the centre, decorated with silver and gilt-metal threads embroidered on black and coloured silk ground with calligraphic rectangular and circular cartouches as well as archways with stylised mosque lamps, including two stitched silk calligraphic panels on either side of door slip
Condition
Overall bright, with little scuffs throughout and minor tears with some associated consolidation, some of metal threads bent due to folding, age and use, stitching visible on reverse, some wear, 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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
inscriptions
In the long border cartouches: Repeat of Qur’an, chapter CXII (al-ikhlas)
In the round border cartouches: Repeat of: ‘God is my Lord’
From the top:
In the top black cartouche: Qur’an, chapter XXVII (al-naml), verse 30 and Qur’an, chapter XVII (al-isra’), verse 80
In the arches: The bismillah and Qur’an, chapter XV (al-hijr), part of verse 46.
In the oblong panel in the middle of arches: The shahadah and Qur’an, chapter IX (al-tawba), part of verse 33 (in the borders) and Qur’an, chapter XXIV, part of verse 35 (in the centre).
In the wide gold panel: Qur’an, chapter XLVIII (al-fath), part of verse 27.
In the two black cartouches above and below the gold panel: Qur’an, chapter II (al-baqara), verse 255.
In the roundel between the black cartouches: ‘God suffices me’
The two large roundels:
On the right: The shahada and Qur’an, chapter IX (al-tawba), part of verse 33.
On the left: Qur’an, chapter CXII (al-ikhlas)
In the central red cartouche: The shahada
In the black around the red cartouche: ‘God, Muhammad’ and ‘May God be pleased with Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali and the remaining companions, all of them’
In the two black cartouches: Qur’an, chapter CVI (Quraysh)
In the red panels:
In the wide bands, repeat of: ‘God. Muhammad’ and the shahadah.
In the top narrow band, repeat of: Qur’an, chapter XXXIII (al-ahzab), verse 56
In the lower narrow band, repeat of: ‘May Mighty God be pleased with Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali and the remaining companions, all of them’
In the black cartouche:
‘Was honoured to renew this blessed exalted [cover], servant of God and His needy one, the triumphant King in his reign among the Arabs and non-Arabs and made him as a servant to this Honoured Sanctuary Sultan Selim Ibn Suleyman in the year 981 AH/1573-74 AD
Around the door opening: Qur’an, chapter CXII (al-ikhlas)
Above the opening: Qur’an, chapter LXVIII (al-al-fath), verse 1
A similar curtain with the same date is in the Topkapi Palace Museum (see H. Tezcan, Al-Astar al-Haramayn al-Sharifayn, Istanbul, 1996, pp.30-32). The name of Sultan Selim II on the present curtain is likely to have been used in a historicising manner during the reign of Sultan Selim III at the end of the eighteenth century. It was common during this period for the Ottomans to look back to the sixteenth century, a high-point for art and culture, in their rendering of contemporary pieces such as the present burqa.
In the long border cartouches: Repeat of Qur’an, chapter CXII (al-ikhlas)
In the round border cartouches: Repeat of: ‘God is my Lord’
From the top:
In the top black cartouche: Qur’an, chapter XXVII (al-naml), verse 30 and Qur’an, chapter XVII (al-isra’), verse 80
In the arches: The bismillah and Qur’an, chapter XV (al-hijr), part of verse 46.
In the oblong panel in the middle of arches: The shahadah and Qur’an, chapter IX (al-tawba), part of verse 33 (in the borders) and Qur’an, chapter XXIV, part of verse 35 (in the centre).
In the wide gold panel: Qur’an, chapter XLVIII (al-fath), part of verse 27.
In the two black cartouches above and below the gold panel: Qur’an, chapter II (al-baqara), verse 255.
In the roundel between the black cartouches: ‘God suffices me’
The two large roundels:
On the right: The shahada and Qur’an, chapter IX (al-tawba), part of verse 33.
On the left: Qur’an, chapter CXII (al-ikhlas)
In the central red cartouche: The shahada
In the black around the red cartouche: ‘God, Muhammad’ and ‘May God be pleased with Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali and the remaining companions, all of them’
In the two black cartouches: Qur’an, chapter CVI (Quraysh)
In the red panels:
In the wide bands, repeat of: ‘God. Muhammad’ and the shahadah.
In the top narrow band, repeat of: Qur’an, chapter XXXIII (al-ahzab), verse 56
In the lower narrow band, repeat of: ‘May Mighty God be pleased with Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali and the remaining companions, all of them’
In the black cartouche:
‘Was honoured to renew this blessed exalted [cover], servant of God and His needy one, the triumphant King in his reign among the Arabs and non-Arabs and made him as a servant to this Honoured Sanctuary Sultan Selim Ibn Suleyman in the year 981 AH/1573-74 AD
Around the door opening: Qur’an, chapter CXII (al-ikhlas)
Above the opening: Qur’an, chapter LXVIII (al-al-fath), verse 1
A similar curtain with the same date is in the Topkapi Palace Museum (see H. Tezcan, Al-Astar al-Haramayn al-Sharifayn, Istanbul, 1996, pp.30-32). The name of Sultan Selim II on the present curtain is likely to have been used in a historicising manner during the reign of Sultan Selim III at the end of the eighteenth century. It was common during this period for the Ottomans to look back to the sixteenth century, a high-point for art and culture, in their rendering of contemporary pieces such as the present burqa.