Lot 69.  A rare Damascus underglaze-painted pottery water flask (matara), Syria, 17th Century; 14.5 cm. tall. Estimate: £ 3 000 - £ 5 000. Sold for £ 10,687 (€ 12,417). Courtesy Bonhams.

the bulbous round body tapering towards two short water spouts, the centre of the body indented towards a double loop handle to the upper edge, on a short foot, decorated in cobalt-blue, green and manganese with black outline on a white ground, with an asymmetrical design of floral sprays, palmettes, split-palmettes, saz leaves and cypress trees.

Note: The form of the present lot is derived from an early Ottoman leather type which was later copied in metal, glass and rock crystal. However, it is unusual to find a Damascus ceramic matara such as the present lot. A very small number of Iznik examples are known: see Hülya Bilgi, Iznik: The Ömer Koç Collection, 2015, pp. 432-433 and Sotheby's, Arts of the Islamic World, April 2016, lot 85.