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129
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PERFUME BOTTLE Made of colourless, translucent cut glass. It…
See original version (French)
129
-
PERFUME BOTTLE Made of colourless, translucent cut glass. It…
See original version (French)
Estimate €20,000 - €25,000
Voluntary lot
Description
PERFUME BOTTLE
Made of colourless, translucent cut glass. It has a cylindrical body, a short flared foot and a tall, flared tubular neck. The body is decorated with a wide frieze of sinuous arabesques and palmettes.
Medieval Egypt, 10th or 11th century, Fatimid period.
Height: 12 cm – Diameter at base: 2.8 cm.
(In good overall condition, with restorations to the neck and base)
Provenance:
– Acquired from the Ur-Nina Antiques gallery in Beirut in 1993 [invoice dated 12 June 1993, stated as originating from the treasury of Imam Al-Mustansir]
– Private collection of A.R.
Description:
This precious flask belongs to a well-documented group of valuable objects, such as the specimen similar to ours (fragmentary) held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art [Inv. No. 31.18.1] or that at the V&A; [Inv. No. A.45-1928].
These vases were probably prestigious objects that the sovereign displayed in his treasury. Small vials made of glass or rock crystal, such as this one, could not hold much, but their contents must have been extremely valuable to justify such containers. They were most likely used to store perfumes, which were among the most luxurious commodities in any Islamic court.
These objects bear witness to the refinement and technical virtuosity of Fatimid court culture in Egypt. Highly prized throughout the medieval Mediterranean, these small vials were often incorporated into Christian treasuries, where they were repurposed and adapted for new uses, serving as reliquaries in medieval churches. The relative durability of the material and its transparency made these vessels ideal for housing the most precious and revered objects of the medieval Church. Examples can be admired in the treasuries of Halberstadt Cathedral and at the Stiftskirchengemeinde in Bad-Gandersheim (Europa und der Orient, exhibition catalogue, Berlin, 1989, pl. 636), such as this example held at the British Museum [Inv. No. 1894 0517,1], which was probably adapted for liturgical use as a cruet for holy chrism.
The Book of Gifts and Rarities (Kitāb al-Hadāyā wa al-Tuḥaf), an anonymous 11th-century account, tells us that the Fatimid royal treasury comprised, prior to its dispersal in 1062, the very large number of 36,000 rock crystal vessels. It undoubtedly included many vials similar to the one we are presenting here.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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