Bronze, silver, coloured glass
Khorasan, 10th to 12th Century
Figural decor
Partially with old collection number (F.R. Martin)
Height: 2 to 4.5 cm
Provenance: ex-collection F.R. Martin, thence Austrian private collection

These small bronze figures were made in Khorasan, a region in Central Asia, between the 10th and 12th Century. The collection comprises two figural pendants, one sculptural standing figure, one figural fitting as well as a coin. A lovely highlight is the silver end fitting of a dagger sheath. It is chased with floral ornaments on both sides and adorned with little round glass gems.



All pieces are in a good state of preservation with signs of age and use. The bronze objects show an appealing, partially malachite coloured patina. The coin decor shows abrasions. The silver piece shows a crack and minor material loss. The dimensions range from 2 to 4.5 cm in height.



Collection F.R. Martin

At the turn of the Century the Swedish scholar and art historian Fredrik Robert Martin (1868-1933) travelled through much of Persia. By the 1920s he had compiled an extensive and historically important collection of Islamic art, illustrating the craftsmanship of bygone dynasties. During his lifetime F.R. Martin authored many books on the subject of Islamic arts and crafts. Many of the items from the collection, about which an extensive catalogue was published, are nowadays held in the Medelhavsmuseet and the Ethnographical Museum in Stockholm.

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