An Ottoman silver tankard with the tughra of Suleyman the...
of subglobular shape on an everted foot, with ribbed shoulder and a cylindrical tapering neck, an applied curved dragon-form handle, hammered, engraved and chased, the body and neck decorated in shallow relief with two broad bands of spiralling scrolls with lotusheads, palmettes and leaves on a ring-matted ground, the rim stamped with the tughra of Sultan Suleyman I, the interior of the rim with an incised zigzag mark
11cm. height
Condition Report:
In good condition, minor denting and scratches as consistent with age and use, very slight oxidation visible in the recesses, as viewed.
Catalogue Note:
The shape of this tankard is directly inherited from Central Asian traditional prototypes, its bulbous form and serpentine handle proving almost identical to fifteenth-century Timurid examples. In her study of inscriptions on Timurid metalwork, Linda Komaroff evidences how the Persian poetry inscribed on a group of such silver and gold-inlaid vessels informs their luxurious standing and wine drinking purpose (in Golombek & Subtelny (eds.), p.144-157). Several of these pieces are now in Istanbul, where they most likely arrived during the conflict that opposed the Ottoman and Safavid dynasties under Suleiman and Tahmasp I. Strikingly similar to Persian prototypes if not for its slightly more rounded base, the shape of the tankard at hand became ubiquitous in Ottoman court objects, found in zinc, rock-crystal, jade and other ceramic examples. Such diverse materials and techniques suggest a continued high level of functionality, in line with their Persian genesis.
Furthermore, the present example embraces the decorative repertoire of Balkan workshops, with embossing, engraving, and punching techniques used to create a high-relief effect. Such influence on Ottoman imperial silverwork probably followed the military conquest and annexation of the Balkans and the resulting access to the silver mines of Bosnia and Serbia. As a result, this jug exemplifies the international character of Ottoman art during the sixteenth century, amalgamating artistic forms and techniques from both eastern and western traditions.
This jug bears the middle section of a tughra under its rim, showing the name of Selim as the tughra holder’s father, and therefore identifying the signature as that of Suleyman I. This can be further reinforced by comparing the calligraphy at hand to the tughra of Suleyman the Magnificent on a comparable jug sold in these rooms, 13 October 2004, lot 161.
A number of comparable silver-gilt vessels of this type survive. Examples are recorded in the following institutions:
1. Victoria and Albert Museum, London (inv. no.158-1894), published in Petsopoulos 1982, pl.18.
2. Hermitage, St Petersburg (inv. no.NT.358), published in Petsopoulos 1982, fig.7c, p.25.
3. David Collection, Copenhagen (inv. no.15/1986), published in von Folsach 2001, no.531, p.330.
4. David Collection, Copenhagen (inv. no.11/1991), published in von Folsach 2001, no.532, p.330.
5.-7. Three examples in The Benaki Museum, Athens (inv. no.14000).
8. Monastery of Ipsilos Mytileni, Lesbos, published in Mytilena Sacra, vol.A, Thessaloniki, 1970.
9.-11. Three examples in monasteries in Mount Athos, recorded by Dr Yota Papadopoulos.
12. Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, sold at Sotheby's, 16-17 April 1985, lot 126, published in Allan 2002, no.27, pp.84-85, and Atil 1987, fig.52, p.122.
13. Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, sold at Sotheby's, 13 October 2004, lot 161.
14. National Museum, Bucharest (inv. no.M 1651) from the Bistrea Monastery, Vilcea, published in Nicolescu 1968.
15. Old Serbian Orthodox Church, Sarajevo, published in Filipovic 1966.
16. Sotheby's, 22-23 October 1992, lot 169, private collection.
17. Historical Museum, Moscow, unpublished.
Three further comparable jugs were sold at Sotheby’s, London, 7 October 2009, lot 193; 6 October 2010, lot 320; 24 October 2018, lot 180
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of subglobular shape on an everted foot, with ribbed shoulder and a cylindrical tapering neck, an applied curved dragon-form handle, hammered, engraved and chased, the body and neck decorated in shallow relief with two broad bands of spiralling scrolls with lotusheads, palmettes and leaves on a ring-matted ground, the rim stamped with the tughra of Sultan Suleyman I, the interior of the rim with an incised zigzag mark
11cm. height
Condition Report:
In good condition, minor denting and scratches as consistent with age and use, very slight oxidation visible in the recesses, as viewed.
Catalogue Note:
The shape of this tankard is directly inherited from Central Asian traditional prototypes, its bulbous form and serpentine handle proving almost identical to fifteenth-century Timurid examples. In her study of inscriptions on Timurid metalwork, Linda Komaroff evidences how the Persian poetry inscribed on a group of such silver and gold-inlaid vessels informs their luxurious standing and wine drinking purpose (in Golombek & Subtelny (eds.), p.144-157). Several of these pieces are now in Istanbul, where they most likely arrived during the conflict that opposed the Ottoman and Safavid dynasties under Suleiman and Tahmasp I. Strikingly similar to Persian prototypes if not for its slightly more rounded base, the shape of the tankard at hand became ubiquitous in Ottoman court objects, found in zinc, rock-crystal, jade and other ceramic examples. Such diverse materials and techniques suggest a continued high level of functionality, in line with their Persian genesis.
Furthermore, the present example embraces the decorative repertoire of Balkan workshops, with embossing, engraving, and punching techniques used to create a high-relief effect. Such influence on Ottoman imperial silverwork probably followed the military conquest and annexation of the Balkans and the resulting access to the silver mines of Bosnia and Serbia. As a result, this jug exemplifies the international character of Ottoman art during the sixteenth century, amalgamating artistic forms and techniques from both eastern and western traditions.
This jug bears the middle section of a tughra under its rim, showing the name of Selim as the tughra holder’s father, and therefore identifying the signature as that of Suleyman I. This can be further reinforced by comparing the calligraphy at hand to the tughra of Suleyman the Magnificent on a comparable jug sold in these rooms, 13 October 2004, lot 161.
A number of comparable silver-gilt vessels of this type survive. Examples are recorded in the following institutions:
1. Victoria and Albert Museum, London (inv. no.158-1894), published in Petsopoulos 1982, pl.18.
2. Hermitage, St Petersburg (inv. no.NT.358), published in Petsopoulos 1982, fig.7c, p.25.
3. David Collection, Copenhagen (inv. no.15/1986), published in von Folsach 2001, no.531, p.330.
4. David Collection, Copenhagen (inv. no.11/1991), published in von Folsach 2001, no.532, p.330.
5.-7. Three examples in The Benaki Museum, Athens (inv. no.14000).
8. Monastery of Ipsilos Mytileni, Lesbos, published in Mytilena Sacra, vol.A, Thessaloniki, 1970.
9.-11. Three examples in monasteries in Mount Athos, recorded by Dr Yota Papadopoulos.
12. Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, sold at Sotheby's, 16-17 April 1985, lot 126, published in Allan 2002, no.27, pp.84-85, and Atil 1987, fig.52, p.122.
13. Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, sold at Sotheby's, 13 October 2004, lot 161.
14. National Museum, Bucharest (inv. no.M 1651) from the Bistrea Monastery, Vilcea, published in Nicolescu 1968.
15. Old Serbian Orthodox Church, Sarajevo, published in Filipovic 1966.
16. Sotheby's, 22-23 October 1992, lot 169, private collection.
17. Historical Museum, Moscow, unpublished.
Three further comparable jugs were sold at Sotheby’s, London, 7 October 2009, lot 193; 6 October 2010, lot 320; 24 October 2018, lot 180
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