Islamic mortar Cast bronze with engraving,... Lot 517

Islamic mortar Cast bronze with engraving, remnants of red paint, verdigris due to corrosion. On octagonal ground plan, consol-like, stepped upper and lower rim. The facets alternately decorated with lotus buds and birds in niches. Calligraphy around the rims. Small chips on the upper rim. H 13, D 15,5 cm, weight ca. 3,7 kg. Matching conical pestle with ball handle enclosed, l 20,3 cm. Northwest Afghanistan or Iran, 13th century. Provenance Ground find, Herat, northwestern Afghanistan. Literature A similar mortar in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum London, Acc.No. M.111-1929. Cf. Melikian-Chirvani, Islamic Metalwork from the Iranian World, London 1982. p.110 f.