Description:

: A RARE NISHAPUR POTTERY BOWL, CIRCA 10TH CENTURY
Nishapur, Persia, circa 10th century

Description:
Earthenware with slip-painted decoration under a transparent glaze; of conical form with slightly everted rim, the interior decorated with bold kufic inscription in reserve against a dark manganese ground. The stylised Arabic calligraphy—typically blessings or proverbs—is rendered in sweeping strokes radiating from the center. A central roundel anchors the design compositionally.

Dimensions: 22cm x 7cm

This fine example belongs to the category of epigraphic wares produced in Nishapur during the Samanid period, where inscriptions served both decorative and didactic purposes. The bold kufic script is masterfully executed, capturing the aesthetic and cultural values of early Islamic Iran.

Comparable examples:

  • A similar Nishapur bowl with kufic inscription sold at Sotheby’s, London, Arts of the Islamic World, 24 April 2013, Lot 80, for £22,500.

  • A Samanid earthenware bowl with black slip-inscription on white slip ground sold at Christie’s, London, 6 October 2009, Lot 103, for £32,450.

  • Another epigraphic pottery bowl, Nishapur, 10th century, with similar calligraphic layout, sold at Bonhams, London, Islamic and Indian Art, 26 April 2021, Lot 46, for £20,250.

Note:
Bowls such as this were typically used for daily domestic purposes but carried inscriptions invoking blessings, knowledge, or virtue. The stark contrast between the black glaze and cream calligraphy, combined with the refined symmetry, points to both spiritual significance and visual sophistication characteristic of Nishapur ceramic traditions.

 

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
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