Description:

AN OTTOMAN SILVER-PLATE EWER AND BASIN, PROBABLY EGYPT, 19TH CENTURY
Egypt or the wider Ottoman Empire, 19th century

Description:
Of elegant and harmonious design, this Ottoman silver-plated ewer and basin set features deeply lobed gadrooning across both elements, creating a unified aesthetic. The ewer is of melon-fluted baluster form with a tall, curving tubular spout and a pronounced S-scroll handle adorned with cast foliate ornamentation. The hinged domed lid terminates in a pointed acorn finial with further repoussé floral detailing. The matching basin flares outward in scalloped form with deep lobes echoing the ewer’s motif, designed to cradle it perfectly.

Dimensions:
Ewer height: 35.5 cm
Basin diameter: 33 cm

This set is a fine example of Ottoman domestic metalwork from the 19th century, where European Rococo influences blended with local craftsmanship. The use of fluting and naturalistic ornament reflects the refinement typical of Egyptian silver work produced under Ottoman rule, likely for ceremonial or elite household use.

Comparable examples:

  • A similar Ottoman silver ewer and basin, late 19th century, sold at Christie’s, London, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 11 April 2008, Lot 329, for £4,750.

  • A comparable 19th-century Ottoman parcel-gilt silver ewer and basin, attributed to Cairo, sold at Sotheby’s, London, 24 October 2019, Lot 176, for £6,000.

  • A related Ottoman silver hand-washing set with floral repoussé decoration, circa 1880, sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 21 October 2020, Lot 93, for £5,625.

Note:
Ottoman ewers and basins were central to ritual handwashing practices and often served as status symbols in elite households. Egyptian workshops in Cairo were particularly known for their fine repoussé and chased silverwork during this period, sometimes marked with tughra stamps or assay office symbols, as seen faintly on the underside of this piece.

13in (33cm) diameter, ewer 14in (35.5cm) high (2)

Provenance: Indian and Islamic Works of Art and Textiles, Christies, lot 329, 11/04/08

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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