Description:

A RARE CALLIGRAPHIC INSCRIBED BRONZE EWER (LOTA), DECCAN, 17TH CENTURY
Deccan, India, Mughal period, 17th century

Description:
Of elegant, balanced form with a wide mouth, rounded shoulder, and flared foot, this rare bronze ewer—locally referred to as a lota—is profusely decorated with intricate bands of Arabic calligraphy and vegetal scrollwork in shallow relief. The entire surface is enriched with interlocking arabesques and multiple registers of inscriptions in flowing naskh and thuluth scripts, invoking blessings and possibly Qur'anic excerpts or poetic benedictions. The tall, tapering spout emerges gracefully from the shoulder, further adorned with repeating geometric motifs, while the flared rim and foot are bordered with finely hatched chevron patterns.

This vessel, with its dense calligraphic ornamentation and subtle green patina, is characteristic of 17th-century Deccani metalwork, reflecting a high level of refinement in both casting and chiselling. It likely served a ceremonial or ritual function, possibly in ablution or courtly display, given the prominence of the inscriptions and the quality of its decoration.

Dimensions: Height: 16cm

Comparable examples:

  • A comparable inscribed bronze ewer of similar form and calligraphic detailing sold at Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, 25 October 2017, Lot 85, for £11,875.

  • A Deccani bronze lota with engraved inscriptions fetched £9,375 at Christie’s, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 27 October 2022, Lot 132.

  • A 17th-century South Indian bronze water vessel with comparable Qur’anic bands sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 29 March 2021, Lot 64, for £8,750.

Note:
Calligraphic vessels such as this illustrate the deep fusion of religious piety and artistic excellence in Mughal-Deccani India. The use of inscriptions as both decoration and spiritual invocation lends these objects a dual function—as tools of utility and as bearers of barakah (divine blessing). Their compact size and ornate detailing suggest that they were highly prized personal or ceremonial items.

 

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

PLAKAS

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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