A FINELY ENGRAVED SILVER VASE WITH AMOROUS AND EQUESTRIAN SCENES, IRAN, LATE 19TH TO EARLY 20TH
A FINELY ENGRAVED SILVER VASE WITH AMOROUS AND EQUESTRIAN SCENES, IRAN, LATE 19TH TO EARLY 20TH CENTURY
The baluster body rises from a flat base to high, rounded shoulders, a gently tapering neck, and a broad mouth with a triple-lipped rim. The sides are finely chased and embossed with two opposing lobed panels, one depicting two richly attired young courtiers in an amorous embrace amid flowering plants, the other showing horsemen playing polo. Luxuriant foliage and flowerheads surround the scenes, interspersed with cartouches enclosing birds and animals. Lobed bands of foliate ornament encircle the neck and foot.
Inscriptions: The underside of the base stamped with the number '84' in Farsi and impressed with a maker's mark in Arabic script.
Provenance: The private collection of Mark Walberg, Pennsylvania, United States. The stand with an old collector's number, '4027'. Mark Walberg is a distinguished dealer and collector of Asian art, whose career spans more than half a century. He began collecting at the age of thirteen and, over the ensuing fifty-five years, established an international reputation through his work with major auction houses, as well as through consulting and appraisal services for some of the most respected figures in the field. Renowned for his expertise in Japanese and Chinese art, Mark has handled and sold thousands of objects, developing a highly refined understanding of the market and a discerning connoisseur's eye. His distinguished collection was formerly housed in a historic mansion in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, previously the residence of the state's first senator, William Maclay.
Condition: Very good condition, with minor wear, casting irregularities, light tarnishing, minor dents, few minuscule nicks and surface scratches, mostly along the rim and base.
Weight: 1,576 g
Dimensions: Height 30.4 cm, Diameter 19.7 cm
Net silver value: The value of 1,576 grams of .875 fine silver at the time of writing is approx. EUR 2,500.
Silverware assumed a prominent role within the furnishings of affluent households from the late Qajar period (1789–1925) into the early Pahlavi era (1925–1979), the last royal dynasties of Iran. Elaborately decorated candlesticks and large vases were displayed in reception rooms, where they could be admired and appreciated by both owners and guests. Finely crafted tea services, often richly ornamented, played a central part in the rituals of hospitality extended to frequent visitors.
A distinctive characteristic of Iranian silver vessels of this period is the resourcefulness and density of their surface decoration. Typically arranged in symmetrical compositions, their designs incorporate floral and geometric motifs, architectural elements, and animal figures, demonstrating both technical virtuosity and aesthetic refinement.
The standard mark found on objects of this type is '84'. This Russian hallmark was widely adopted by Iranian silversmiths during the late 19th and first half of the twentieth century. Referring to an obsolete Russian unit of weight, 84 zolotnik indicates a silver fineness of 875 parts per thousand. The present vessel bears this standard in Persian numerals.
Higher-quality examples are often additionally stamped with the marks of the silversmiths responsible for their production, as evidenced by the Arabic-character mark impressed on the base of the present vase.
Literature comparison:
Compare a related pair of smaller silver vases, Iran, dated c. 1940-1947, 11.5 cm high, from the collection of Fouad and Nadia Kronfol, now in the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, inventory number 2014.315.1-2.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby's London, 6 April 2011, lot 164
Price: GBP 6,875 or approx. EUR 12,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A finely engraved Indo-Persian silver water flask
Expert remark: Compare the related workmanship. Note the much smaller size (9.8 cm).
Sale price
Estimate
Time, Location
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A FINELY ENGRAVED SILVER VASE WITH AMOROUS AND EQUESTRIAN SCENES, IRAN, LATE 19TH TO EARLY 20TH CENTURY
The baluster body rises from a flat base to high, rounded shoulders, a gently tapering neck, and a broad mouth with a triple-lipped rim. The sides are finely chased and embossed with two opposing lobed panels, one depicting two richly attired young courtiers in an amorous embrace amid flowering plants, the other showing horsemen playing polo. Luxuriant foliage and flowerheads surround the scenes, interspersed with cartouches enclosing birds and animals. Lobed bands of foliate ornament encircle the neck and foot.
Inscriptions: The underside of the base stamped with the number '84' in Farsi and impressed with a maker's mark in Arabic script.
Provenance: The private collection of Mark Walberg, Pennsylvania, United States. The stand with an old collector's number, '4027'. Mark Walberg is a distinguished dealer and collector of Asian art, whose career spans more than half a century. He began collecting at the age of thirteen and, over the ensuing fifty-five years, established an international reputation through his work with major auction houses, as well as through consulting and appraisal services for some of the most respected figures in the field. Renowned for his expertise in Japanese and Chinese art, Mark has handled and sold thousands of objects, developing a highly refined understanding of the market and a discerning connoisseur's eye. His distinguished collection was formerly housed in a historic mansion in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, previously the residence of the state's first senator, William Maclay.
Condition: Very good condition, with minor wear, casting irregularities, light tarnishing, minor dents, few minuscule nicks and surface scratches, mostly along the rim and base.
Weight: 1,576 g
Dimensions: Height 30.4 cm, Diameter 19.7 cm
Net silver value: The value of 1,576 grams of .875 fine silver at the time of writing is approx. EUR 2,500.
Silverware assumed a prominent role within the furnishings of affluent households from the late Qajar period (1789–1925) into the early Pahlavi era (1925–1979), the last royal dynasties of Iran. Elaborately decorated candlesticks and large vases were displayed in reception rooms, where they could be admired and appreciated by both owners and guests. Finely crafted tea services, often richly ornamented, played a central part in the rituals of hospitality extended to frequent visitors.
A distinctive characteristic of Iranian silver vessels of this period is the resourcefulness and density of their surface decoration. Typically arranged in symmetrical compositions, their designs incorporate floral and geometric motifs, architectural elements, and animal figures, demonstrating both technical virtuosity and aesthetic refinement.
The standard mark found on objects of this type is '84'. This Russian hallmark was widely adopted by Iranian silversmiths during the late 19th and first half of the twentieth century. Referring to an obsolete Russian unit of weight, 84 zolotnik indicates a silver fineness of 875 parts per thousand. The present vessel bears this standard in Persian numerals.
Higher-quality examples are often additionally stamped with the marks of the silversmiths responsible for their production, as evidenced by the Arabic-character mark impressed on the base of the present vase.
Literature comparison:
Compare a related pair of smaller silver vases, Iran, dated c. 1940-1947, 11.5 cm high, from the collection of Fouad and Nadia Kronfol, now in the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, inventory number 2014.315.1-2.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby's London, 6 April 2011, lot 164
Price: GBP 6,875 or approx. EUR 12,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A finely engraved Indo-Persian silver water flask
Expert remark: Compare the related workmanship. Note the much smaller size (9.8 cm).
Sale price
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
