Islamic pewter large ewer c. 1920
Price: £30
This is a large ewer made from pewter that has been engraved all the way around with typical floral designs. Probably from Turkey or Egypt.
Persian Gouache Painting depicting a Dignitary and Attendants, framed, nineteenth century
Price: £75
A Persian gouache painting, the central roundel depicting a court figure scene with a dignitary seated in a pavilion surrounded by attendants, all within a walled enclosure, and the blue ground border with four further attendants, seated, with gilt foliage decoration. Gouache paint is similar to watercolour, but is modified to make it opaque. It was commonly used by Persian artists from the thirteenth century onwards. The style of painting here, though, suggests a dating in the nineteenth century. The frame is modern.
Pair of Indian Bronze and Enamel Candlesticks in the form of Cobras, early 20th century
Price: £75
A pair of Indian Bronze and Enamel Candlesticks in the form of Cobras, each upraised from twisting tails and with protruding tongues, both supporting candle sconces and drip pans, the decoration in gilt and red enamel with stylised floral designs and slight variations in the patterns between each piece. The bases hollow cast and the foliate edge sconces and drip pans with piercing.
These snake form candlesticks were a popular form with the Indian manufacturers of decorative metal items for export in during the 1920s and 1930s. The design is striking and their appeal is obvious. The form was also produced as plain brass but the combination here of gilt metal and red enamel is far more attractive.
An Octagonal Brass Tray with a roundel of an elephant, probably Persian early C20th
Price: £50
An octagonal Brass Tray with a short squared rim and a wide central well decorated with panels of sylised floral designs in various shapes all interlinked by narrow bands in milled edge decoration, the well with repeating geometric pattern borders and the centre with a raised design of a well modelled elephant standing amidst palm trees. The reverse plain and unpolished. The techniques employed here include repoussé and chased work, as described in lots 35 and 36 of this auction, but with the addition of niello work where a black metallic alloy is employed as a background to other metal working techniques. Some of the elements of the design, particularly the borders and the central roundel of an elephant can look Indian but the floral work and use of colour is much more typical of Persian decoration and this is most likely what we have here, probably an early twentieth century creation intended as a tourist souvenir. Doubtless designed as a serving tray, this piece functions well as a decorative object for the wall which is why it was later given a soldered hanging fixture.