Description:

A PAIR OF OTTOMAN COPPER-GILT (TOMBAK) ZARF CUPS, TURKEY, 18TH CENTURY
Turkey, 18th century

Description:
Each zarf cast in copper and fire-gilded (tombak), featuring a flared base and scalloped rim, with the surface finely chased and engraved with arabesque floral scrolls and stylised palmettes. The high-relief decorative bands exhibit a rhythmic arrangement of vegetal motifs, a hallmark of Ottoman metalwork in the 18th century.

These zarfs would have originally been used to hold delicate, handleless porcelain coffee cups, insulating the user’s hand while also enhancing the ceremonial prestige of Ottoman coffee culture. Their opulent appearance reflects the refinement of courtly rituals and the high value placed on coffee presentation within elite circles of the empire.

Dimensions: Height: 6 cm

Provenance:

Comparable examples:

  • A similar pair of tombak zarfs sold at Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, 25 October 2017, Lot 141, for £5,000.

  • A group of Ottoman gilt copper coffee accessories, including zarfs, achieved £6,875 at Christie’s, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 27 October 2016, Lot 162.

  • An 18th-century tombak zarf with floral scrolls sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 11 June 2018, Lot 103, for £4,750.

Note:
Tombak, the Ottoman fire-gilding technique applied to copper alloys, was widely used in the 17th and 18th centuries for ceremonial and functional wares. Zarfs in particular became emblematic of imperial refinement and remain among the most coveted items of Ottoman decorative arts.

 

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
London, United Kingdom

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
£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