A RARE FRITWARE OPENWORK DECORATED RETICULATED EWER WITH ROOSTER HEAD
An ewer with rooster head Persia, Kashan, early 13th century. Item exemplifying the double shell technique, made up of an internal container meant to hold liquids and an external openwork shell. Pear shaped body in silicic paste resting on a disc, upper end shaped like a rooster's head and molded handled with tail's feathers in high relief. The body is characterized by a fine openwork, created through a coeval metal working technique. The decoration follows a pattern of vegetal motifs interspersed with animals painted in black. Calligraphic inscription on black enclosed by a reserve close to the lower margin of the item. The item is covered with the typical turquois glaze which leaves only the foot bare. The item is accompanied by the results of a thermoluminescence dating test, conducted by CiIRAM laboratory in May 2015 and confirming a plausible dating between the XII and the XVI century, on the base of three samples extracted from the paste of the foot, from the glaze of the foot and from the paste of the neck. A very similar item can be seen at the Victoria and Albert Museum of London, Acc. No. C.170-1977, while another with a different shape is part of the Al-Sabah collection and was published in Watson, Ceramics from Islamic Lands, Thames and Hudson 2004, p. 341. Lastly, another very similar item is on exhibit at the Louvre in Paris, Acc. Nr.MAO 442 Provenance: part of a private English collection.

Origin: Persia

Period: 13th century

Sizes: 28.00 cm. H x 9.50 cm. W
11.02 in. H x 3.74 in. W