Description:

TWO SILVER HAMMAM BOWLS, OTTOMAN, 19TH CENTURY
Ottoman Empire, 19th century 

Description:
A pair of repoussé and chased silver hammam bowls, each of fluted lobed form and decorated in high relief with stylised vegetal motifs and lotus-inspired central bosses. The larger bowl features alternating palmettes and tulip motifs in each lobe, with dense scrolling decoration radiating from the centre. The smaller bowl is similarly floral in design but more compact in its detailing. These types of bowls were traditionally used in Turkish bathhouses for pouring water, and their ornate craftsmanship reflects the Ottoman emphasis on refinement and ritual purity.

Dimensions:
Diameter of largest: 21.5 cm
Weight:
Large bowl: 307g
Smaller bowl: 160g 

These bowls are not only practical objects but also expressions of Ottoman metalworking artistry. Their condition and decorative clarity speak to limited use and careful preservation.

Comparable examples:

  • A repoussé silver hammam bowl, Ottoman Turkey, 19th century, sold at Sotheby’s, London, 24 October 2018, Lot 87, for £37,500

  • An Ottoman silver ablution bowl with floral relief, 19th century, sold at Christie’s, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 27 April 2023, Lot 118, for £42,000

  • A pair of Ottoman silver basins, Istanbul, mid-19th century, sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 22 April 2021, Lot 45, for £36,250.

Note:
Ottoman silver hammam bowls like these were often given as gifts for weddings or ceremonial occasions and are considered iconic of imperial bath culture. Their lobed, lotus-flower design draws influence from earlier Mamluk and Persian metalwork traditions, but the execution here is distinctly Ottoman, with a strong emphasis on repetitive floral symmetry and craftsmanship.

 

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

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