Arts of the Islamic World & India including Fine Rugs & Carpets
Arts of the Islamic World & India including Fine Rugs & Carpets
A SAFAVID AGATE-SET PARCEL-GILT SEAL RING, PERSIA, 16TH CENTURY
Auction Closed
June 10, 06:00 PM GMT
Estimate
8,000 - 12,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
A SAFAVID AGATE-SET PARCEL-GILT SEAL RING, PERSIA, 16TH CENTURY
the flat round chalcedony seal incised with thuluth script reading 'Muhammad, 'Ali, Hassan', set within a frame with strapwork motifs, the shoulder and sides of the silver hoop applied with intricately worked gold foliate decoration and pointed base, underside with incised lozenge-shaped motif
2.6cm. height
2.2cm. diam.
Ex-private collection, Germany. Acquired 1960-1981, thence by descent.
inscriptions
Qur’an, chapter III (al-‘Imran), part of verse 173, followed by: ‘Confident in the Absolute King, Hasan ibn ‘Ali ibn Muhammad’.
In all its decorative features, including its use of niello, this ring characterises the period of artistic and cultural transition of the Safavids although certain other features recall the Turco-Mongolian Timurid tradition such as the seal script beneath the bezel. A comparable ring is in the Sarikhani collection, London, inv. no.I.JW.1001 (see The Sarikhani Collection, An Introduction, London, 2011, pp.84-85).