Lot 165: A PERSIAN GOLD AND SILVER-INLAID TALISMANIC METAL BOWL, 18TH OR 19TH CENTURY

A hemispherical talismanic or magic bowl, constructed from forged metal with a dark, aged patina, likely tinned copper. The exterior is decorated using a damascene technique featuring both gold and silver inlay. A wide horizontal frieze encircles the upper portion, containing an Arabic inscription in Thuluth script. The calligraphic characters are inlaid in gold against a densely worked background of silver-inlaid scrolling foliage and arabesques. The inscriptions are taken from Surah Al-Falaq (The Daybreak) of the Quran, specifically verses 4 and 5: "wa min sharri al-naffathati fi al-uqadi wa min sharri hasidin" (And from the evil of the blowers in knots, And from the evil of an envier [when he envies]). The main band is bordered at the base by a narrow register featuring an interlaced guilloche pattern in silver and gold inlay. 

D: 22.5cm