Inscribed: In Persian,
"May the world be as you desire, the heavens your aid.
May the Creator of the world be your protector.
May all that you do be according to your wish
May the Lord of the World be your guardian.
The poor Muhammad Rafi' wrote this, mercy be upon him."
Read and translated by Michael Chagnon
Small oval-shaped amuletic case, with a hinged, slightly-domed lid, in gold with repoussé and engraving and polychrome enamel decoration. Decoration depicts flowers - including a central rose, poppies, and other species - on top of lid, and birds and flowers on side of the body. The decoration loosely falls into the gol o bolbol, or bird-and-flower, motif that found great popularity in Iran during the Safavid period and which culminated in the decoration of lacquer objects under the Zand and Qajar dynasties. The base decorated with blue enamel and gold flowers, and the inside of the lid with green enamel. The two small suspension loops indicate the amuletic function.
Alabaster relief with carved depiction of an Iranian king seated on his throne; behind him, an attendant with a fan and a standing bodyguard with spear. In front of the throne, another bodyguard shown in rear view, with spear. Although it is likely created in the late XIXth century A.D., it is in the style of Vth-IVth century B.C.
Condition: Intact. Back of relief is concave and was pierced for suspension. False staining removed from surface in January 1956. Treated 4/2/1991, see conservation file for details.
Luster painted beaker, pear-shaped body and short cylindrical neck, deep flaring hollow foot, strap handle with button thumb rest. Decorated in light brown luster on an opaque white glazed ground with touches of blue glaze. Belly has four seated figures in elaborately embroidered robes, foliate cartouches between them, and a background of small scrolling motifs; inscriptional frieze in Persian naskhi script below, while symbols imitate Kufic script inside the rim. Handle has striped motifs.
A vessel in the form of a hemisphere whose flat section serves as the back of the bird. A simple head with pellet eyes rises from one side and a short stubby tail flares out on the opposite side. The columnar base of the vessel is the mouth by which the vessel is filled. The walls of the base continue upward within the vessel forming a sort of interior well or dam. When the vessel, which must be inverted to be filled, is turned upright the liquid remains inside without a plug in the base. An opening in the beak serves as a spout from which the liquid may be poured. The sides of the vessel are incised to suggest wings while a series of regular gouges on the back indicates feathers. The beak and eyes are painted and a stripe runs over the head and down the neck to the back. Painted streaks parallel the gouges on the back, and the incised lines of the wings are also painted.
Flask, flattened body, with a tall neck cut down. The surface of the flask is molded; it is painted under a discolored transparent glaze in cobalt blue with black outlines. The rough base is unglazed. The decoration is reserved on a blue ground and outlined in black. On one side stands a man with an animal round his shoulders; to the left, a woman kneels before him, offering him a cup. The man wears a European costume - a doublet with a ruff and a hat. The woman is more simply dressed in Persian style. Between the figure is a tray of fruit and a glass (?) flask. In the background are flowers and shrubs of different kinds, birds and cloud-scrolls. The other side is decorated with a hunting scene. A man in European costume fires at a hare (?) with his gun; on the right is a wounded crane. From his waist hangs a powder horn in the form of a bird's head and a bag. The background consists of flowers, leaves, and cloud-scrolls.
Sasanian; A tall piriform vessel with a tiny ring base and a tall neck separated from the body by an incised line with pendant lines. A roughly molded ram, or perhaps water buffalo, head is applied to the one side of the body slightly below the midpoint. An impressed circular punch marks the animal's forehead and additional punches decorate the body of the vessel.