Lot 252. A blue and white silver-mounted hookah base, 17th century. Estimate £2,000 - 3,000 (€2,600 - 3,800). Photo: Bonhams.

The spherical body decorated with a meander of stylised scrolling, leafy flowering stems, the base unglazed, the neck with a white metal Middle Eastern mount with floral and foliate designs, stamped mark beneath the rim. 23cm (9in) high.

Note: The characteristic form of hookah bases had only appeared in India in the 17th century. There are similar shaped examples in glass, often with gilt décor but more commonly are those made in bidriware, usually inlaid with silver. The Chinese were eager to adopt this form in their porcelain production once the demand for pieces like this was rapidly growing. The Chinese blue and white models then also had a particular influence on the decoration of the Indian bidriware production when these models became fashionable export luxury items on the Indian market. Cf. Zebrowski, Gold, Silver & Bronze from Mughal India, London 1997, pp. 224-236.

Bonhams. AUCTION 23541: ASIAN ART, 10:30 BST - LONDON, KNIGHTSBRIDGE