Mosque lamp; Syria or Egypt, 19th century. Colorless... Lot 25

Mosque lamp; Syria or Egypt, 19th century. Colorless and partially gilded glass. Measurements: 34 x 25.5 x 25.5 cm. Mosque lamp of colorless glass ornamented with vegetal elements and kufic writing on the entire surface except the perimeter of the lip. The globular body piece has two small handles and a flared neck that opens to a flat profile mouth. Mosque lamps are oil lamps that usually have a large, round body and a narrower neck that widens toward the top, as in this case. They were often made with internal vessels that were filled with oil and a wick to produce light. They are usually made of enameled glass, often with gilding. Some were also made of Islamic pottery, although this was much less efficient for actual illumination. These lamps were usually hung from a circular metal frame and suspended by chains passing through a series of loops on the outside of the body. Circular frames are still used today in many mosques, but with plain or frosted glass lamps for electric lighting. The techniques used are typical of contemporary Islamic glass: the enameled decoration is applied to a pre-fired plain body and the whole is subjected to a second firing. The colored decoration may include verses from the Qur'an, especially the first part of Ayat an-Nur or "Verse of Light" (24:35, see below), inscriptions and heraldic emblems recording the donor, as well as purely decorative motifs.