Lot 164. A large Kashan lustre pottery jug, Persia, early 13th century. Estimate 5,000 — 7,000 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's.

of bulbous form, wide cylindrical neck and vertical spout, body painted with foliate motifs on lower register and riding horsemen interspersed with cypress trees on upper register, neck with scrolling foliage and palmettes, pseudo-Kufic epigraphic band around rim, interior of neck with pseudo-calligraphic inscription; 21cm. height; 10.3cm. diam.

Literature: F. Lehnohff, Keramik der Islamischen Welt, 8-18 Jahrhundert, Munich 1989, p.76, no.23, no.77..

Note: The stylised pattern of riding horsemen interspersed with cypress trees is also found on two contemporaneous bottles, one in the Keir Collection (see Grube 1976, p.217, no.155) and one in the Bastan Museum, Tehran (Bagherzadeh 1981, pl.37).

Sotheby's. Arts of the Islamic World, London, 26 Apr 2017, 10:30 AM