Description:

Lot 269. MAHMOOD NAGHASH: A LARGE SAFAVID TINNED COPPER BOWL, SIGNED BY MAHMOOD NAGHASH MAKER
Iran, 17th Century

This impressive and finely engraved tinned copper bowl, signed by the renowned craftsman Mahmood Naghash, epitomises the refined metalwork traditions of the Safavid period. Of deep hemispherical form resting on a flared foot, the bowl’s surface is densely decorated with complex and harmonious compositions of incised and inlaid motifs.

A broad band of elegant thuluth script encircles the upper rim, inscribed with invocations and poetic verses. Beneath it, a continuous frieze of animated figural and animal scenes unfolds against a profusely ornamented background of scrolling foliage and blossoms. Riders on horseback, hunting hounds, deer, and birds are depicted in dynamic motion, reflecting the royal courtly themes and hunting scenes favoured in Safavid art.

The maker’s signature, “ʿAmal-e Mahmood Naghash” (“the work of Mahmood Naghash”), is finely engraved within one of the decorative panels, confirming its attribution to this master craftsman. The interior retains traces of tinning, typical of luxury metal vessels of the era, intended both for aesthetic brightness and practical use.

The patina, enriched with verdigris tones, enhances the bowl’s age and surface intricacy. Such large, artist-signed copper works were prestigious objects in 17th-century Iran, prized for both their technical mastery and courtly associations.

Dimensions: Diameter 36 cm

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November 7, 2025 1:00 PM GMT
London, United Kingdom

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