Near East, Persia (Iran), Nishapur area, ca. late 10th century to early 13th century CE. A stunning ceramic bowl presenting with a discoid base and impressively thin walls that dramatically flare outward to a swollen rounded body above two embossed rings and then inward and upward to the circular rim. Boasting a lustrous glaze of a rich turquoise blue hue and black vertical striations forming a radiating pattern around the interior and exterior of the rim, the vessel is additionally adorned with a black dash of glaze surrounded by 3 small raised embellishments in the center of its interior. A gorgeous example from medieval Persian culture. Size: 6.75" in diameter x 3.75" H (17.1 cm x 9.5 cm)

Nishapur was a center of politics and culture in medieval Persia, and their pottery is some of the most unique and beautiful in history. These turquoise items are the result of technological innovation at the end of the 10th century. The body of this bowl and others of its style is made of finely ground quartz mixed with clay; this created a white surface on which the artists could paint designs directly. The glaze is alkaline, with a copper base to give it its color, and would be poured over the clay. Manganese was used to create the underglaze design. These pieces may have been inspired by the blue and white glazed pottery that travelled the Silk Road from Tang Dynasty, China, but the end result here is clearly not just an imitation, but an entirely different, radical style developed in Nishapur.

Provenance: private southern California, USA collection, acquired before 2000

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#159748

Repaired from 3 pieces with cracks and adhesive residue visible and some minor apertures along crack lines. A few expected stable hairline fissures with nicks to base and rim commensurate with age. Otherwise, very nice with excellently preserved pigment, amazing iridescence on interior, and great craquelure on the glazed areas.