Description:

 A LATE TIMURID BRONZE JUG, IRAN, LATE 15TH OR EARLY 16TH CENTURY
Iran, late 15th–early 16th century

Description:
Cast bronze with dark brown and green patination; globular lower body with a tapering cylindrical neck, everted rim, and a distinctive single scrolling handle terminating in a stylized feline or dragon head. The handle is further embellished with an S-curve design and pronounced thumbrest. Rich natural patina with encrustation from age and burial, particularly evident inside the vessel and around the handle joints.

This vessel is a fine example of late Timurid utilitarian metalwork, displaying both aesthetic refinement and functional solidity. The stylized handle suggests a transition toward the Safavid visual vocabulary, with zoomorphic motifs continuing from earlier Mongol and Timurid traditions.

Comparable examples:

  • A Timurid bronze ewer with animal-head spout and similar zoomorphic handle terminal, Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, London, 28 April 2004, Lot 63, sold for £14,340.

  • A bronze Timurid handled vessel with related patina and proportions, Christie’s, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, London, 6 October 2011, Lot 58, sold for £10,625.

  • A Safavid bronze ewer with similar curvilinear handle design and patination, Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, London, 22 April 2009, Lot 232, sold for £9,000.

Note:
Bronze vessels of this transitional period between the Timurid and Safavid dynasties are relatively rare, often displaying a fusion of both decorative aesthetics. The zoomorphic element of the handle is a distinguishing feature, possibly indicating a princely or high-status commission.

 


Height: 13.5cm

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
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Bid Increments
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£0 £99 £5
£100 £199 £10
£200 £499 £20
£500 £999 £50
£1,000 £1,999 £100
£2,000 £4,999 £200
£5,000 £9,999 £500
£10,000 £19,999 £1,000
£20,000 £49,999 £2,000
£50,000 £99,999 £5,000
£100,000 £199,999 £10,000
£200,000 £499,999 £20,000
£500,000 £999,999 £50,000
£1,000,000 + £100,000