Description:

 A RARE DECCANI TINNED COPPER CALLIGRAPHIC INSCRIBED BOWL, 18TH CENTURY
India, Deccan, 18th century

Description:
Tinned copper; hemispherical form with slightly everted rim. The exterior is profusely engraved with bands of finely rendered naskh calligraphy in horizontal registers, likely comprising invocations, Qur'anic verses, or benedictory texts, interspersed with geometric and vegetal separators. A tight braided border frames the upper lip, adding a decorative finishing touch. The interior remains plain and shows an even reddish patina, typical of aged copper.

This type of inscribed bowl was often used for ritual or medicinal purposes, especially in talismanic contexts where the engraved words were believed to imbue water with healing or protective properties.

Comparable examples:

  • An inscribed Deccani tinned copper bowl, India, 18th century, sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 29 March 2022, Lot 220, for £5,737.

  • A similar talismanic bowl with dense Qur'anic inscriptions, Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, 1 May 2019, Lot 197, achieved £6,250.

  • A tinned copper prayer bowl, Deccan, 18th century, sold at Christie’s, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 25 October 2018, Lot 140, for £6,875.

Note:
This work is emblematic of the rich syncretism in Deccani metalwork, where Islamic calligraphic aesthetics merged with local South Indian craftsmanship. The density and clarity of the script suggest the hand of a skilled artisan. Such bowls often held ceremonial or spiritual significance, serving not merely as vessels but as objects of devotion.

 



Height: 13cm

Diameter: 32cm

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

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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