Note: Although ceramic mosque lamps are known as far back as the 13th century (see for example a Raqqa lamp published by Arthur Lane, Early Islamic Pottery, London, 1947, pl.45A), their purpose is not entirely clear. Whilst they follow the general shape of Mamluk glass examples, they could not have served the same purpose, as lighting fixtures. Nurhan Atasoy describes them as ‘hanging from long chains above eye level, yet a long distance from the ceiling’ thus providing no light whatsoever (Nurhan Atasoy and Julian Raby, Iznik. The Pottery of Ottoman Turkey, London, 1989, p.41). Their function was therefore probably symbolic although it has also been proposed that the lamps, and the hanging ornaments associated with them, were in fact acoustic devices – hung in groups near where prayers were read and helping to muffle the echo by allowing sound to bounce off them (Istanbul, Isfahan, Delhi. 3 Capitals of Islamic Art. Masterpieces from the Louvre Collection, exhibition catalogue, Istanbul, 2008, p.115).

Mosque lamps are a rarely encountered form of Iznik pottery. Never mentioned in palace accounts or listed in contemporaneous price lists, they were probably produced as specific commissions for religious buildings. The earliest known examples, very close in form and decoration to that offered here, were made for the tomb of Sultan Beyazid II and are thus dateable to circa 1512. The largest surviving corpus of these early lamps are now in the Çinili Kösk in Istanbul (inv.no. 41/3-41/6; Atasoy and Raby, op.cit., figs. 88-91 and 105-109). Later examples also exist, developing in line with the stylistic changes that occurred in Iznik pottery during the 16th century. However with the exception of one example dated AH 1058/1648-49 AD, none seem to post-date the death of Sultan Murad III in 1595.

The mosque lamps of the group relating to those commissioned by Sultan Selim in 1512 for the tomb of his father Beyazid II can be divided into two distinct groups which differ in form and decoration. One series is identified with the workshop of the ‘Master of the Knots’ and are retrospective in character, featuring knots and cloud scrolls, and inscriptions in bold thuluth (for an example see a mosque lamp formerly in the Godman Collection and now in the British Museum, inv.no.G.5). The group to which ours belongs however is different - embodying the style of the 1510s and heralding that of the 1520s. The lamps of this group are typified by a squat and sharply articulated form, as well as painted details which are reminiscent of metalwork. Note, for instance, the mitred decoration on the shoulder and base of our lamp and the shoulder of the comparable example published here. This is a decorative device which emulates the repoussé technique found on contemporaneous metalwork – for example a group of 16th century bowls from the Balkans (Géza Fehér, Craftsmanship in Turkish-Ruled Hungary, Budapest, 1975, figs.37-39). The mosque lamps of this group are all painted in a relatively light blue, similar to that which also characterises the tiles of Sehzade Ahmed’s tomb in the Muradiye Complex in Bursa which dates to 1513 (Godfrey Goodwin, Philippa Scott and Engin Yenal, Reflections of Paradise. Silks and Tiles from Ottoman Bursa, Istanbul, 1995, pp.150 and 153). The artist has avoided the textural devices such as feathering and dotting which was favoured by the ‘Master of the Knots’ – instead the dominant motifs around the bodies are large, stylised lotus blossoms. Similar lotuses are also found on other objects including jars, which serves to identify what Atasoy and Raby term the workshop of the ‘Master of the Lotuses’ (see Atasoy and Raby, op.cit., figs. 297 and 298).

Until the addition of this example, there were five known lamps by the ‘Master of the Lotuses’ – four in the Çinili Kösk and one in the British Museum (inv.no.78.12-30.520). Four were known definitely to have come from the tomb of Sultan Beyazid, leaving little doubt that the group, including ours, was originally commissioned specifically for this building. Nurhan Atasoy and Julian Raby comment on the survival of only twenty-five 16th century mosque lamps in all. That offered here therefore presents a significant addition to the small group.

Lot 190. An Iznik pottery dish, Ottoman Turkey, circa 1570; 11¾in. (29.6cm.) diam. Estimate GBP 15,000 - GBP 25,000 (USD 18,840 - USD 31,400). © Christie's Image Ltd 2019

With cusped sloping rim on short foot, the white interior painted in blue, green, black and red with a central carnation piercing a tulip flower head flanked by an asymmetric arrangement of further carnations, another tulip, hyacinths and other flowers all issuing from a central tuft, the rim with stylised blue 'wave-and-rock' design, the exterior with alternating paired tulips and flowerheads, rim slightly fritted, exterior slightly scratched, curling crack from rim.

Provenance: Sotheby's, London, December 1974
With Mansour Gallery, 1976
The Vincent Bulent Collection, sold, Christie's, London, 26 April 2005, lot 12.

Note: A particularly closely comparable Iznik dish was sold at Sotheby’s, London, 9 October 1979 and published as dating from the 1560s (Atasoy & Raby, 1989, cat. 401, p.229). Also similar to our dish is a piece in the Omer Koç collection (Bilgi, 2015, cat. 17 p. 118).

Lot 177. An Iznik blue and white cusped rim pottery dish, Ottoman Turkey, circa 1570-75; 12 ¼in. (32cm.) diam. Estimate GBP 10,000 - GBP 15,000 (USD 12,560 - USD 18,840). © Christie's Image Ltd 2019

With cusped rim, the central floral roundel surrounded by four swirling vine leaves, the rim with simplified floral sprays, the cavetto's exterior with six cloud-like foliate patterns.

Note: The blue and white decoration of our dish consisting of thin swaying tendrils sparsely arranged a central floral is closely shows a marked Chinese influence. The symmetric layout can be noticed on published blue and white dishes (Atasoy and Raby, 1989, p. 240, cat.444 and 446). A tazza (ibid., p.240, cat.441) shows similar smaller near-fleur de lys leaves on repeating tendrils painted on its outside cavetto. Atasoy and Raby attribute those vessels to between 1570 and 1575. The tendril's smaller trident appear also on the sprays seen on the rim. However, the stylised central flower echoes the serrated bud, or possibly lotus flower, seen on a blue and white dish dated 1535-1545 kept at the Victoria and Albert Museum (inv. C.2011-1910).

Lot 185. An Iznik pottery jug, Ottoman Turkey, circa 1575; 8 ¼in. (21cm.) high. Estimate GBP 20,000 - GBP 30,000 (USD 25,120 - USD 37,680). © Christie's Image Ltd 2019

The painted decoration consisting of large scrolling white tendrils bearing wide blue splashed leaves, against a green field.

Provenance: Stéphane Lagonicos, Alexandria.

Note: This jug is closely comparable to one in the Omer Koç collection (Bilgi, 2015, cat. 195 p. 435), and another sold in these Rooms, 26 April 2005, lot 5.

Stéphane Lagonicos was a member of the wealthy Greek community of Alexandria whose family settled in Egypt in the late 19th century. His collection of Iznik ceramics was formed after the First World War, comprising mostly plates and jugs from the classic (post 1570) period. At least six pieces from the collection were included in the important 1925 Exposition d'At Musulman in Alexandria.

Lot 187. An Iznik pottery tile, Ottoman Turkey, circa 1575; 10in. (25.5cm.) square. Estimate GBP 12,000 - GBP 18,000 (USD 15,072 - USD 22,608). © Christie's Image Ltd 2019

Of square form, painted in cobalt-blue, emerald-green and bole-red, with saz leaves and stylised scrolling floral arabesques, on white ground.

Provenance: Private collection, Greece, by repute since before 1970, sold Bonhams, London, 23 April 2013, Lot 74.

Note: The two half large blooms seen on our tile’s edge share the same inside quadrilobed white flowers as the blooms seen on the mihrab of the Piyale Pasha mosque in Istanbul built by Sinan in circa 1573. A tile pointed lunette kept at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, dated 1573 and attributed to this building, shows elegant scrolling tendrils bearing four oversized blue blooms with those smaller stylized white flower sprays (accession number 06.2437). Similar larger blooms can be seen on a large panel now at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs (inv. 5987) and dated circa 1565-1575.

Lot 179. An Iznik pottery dish, Ottoman Turkey, circa 1580; 11 ¾in. (30cm.) diam. Estimate GBP 12,000 - GBP 18,000 (USD 15,072 - USD 22,608). © Christie's Image Ltd 2019

Of typical form, a green and blue swaying saz leaf amidst a blue tulip and red carnation spray rising from a tuft of grass, the rim with 'wave-and-rock' pattern, the cavetto's exterior with alternating stylised green flowers and blue trefoils, the foot fritted.

Lot 186. An Iznik pottery dish, Ottoman Turkey, circa 1580; 12 ¼in. (31.5 cm.) diam. Estimate GBP 20,000 - GBP 30,000 (USD 25,120 - USD 37,680). © Christie's Image Ltd 2019

Of shallow form, with narrow rim, the painted decoration consisting of four serrated blue red lined leaves intersecting against a blue and green fish scale field, on white ground, the cavetto's exterior with alternating stylised flowers and floral sprays, the fritted foot drilled.

Provenance: Anon. sale; Sotheby's, New York, 30 May 1986, lot 136
Anon. sale; Christie's, London, 9 October 2014, lot 86.

Literature: Walter B. Denny, Ottoman Treasures: Rugs and Ceramics from the Collection of Dr. and Mrs. William T. Price, Birmingham Museum of Art, 2004, fig. 18, p.15.

Exhibited: Ottoman Treasures: Rugs and Ceramics from the Collection of Dr. and Mrs William T. Price, Birmingham Museum of Art, Alabama, 2004, cat. 41.

Lot 178. An Iznik pottery dish, Ottoman Turkey, first half 17th century; 11 ¾in. (29.7cm.) diam. Estimate GBP 4,000 - GBP 6,000 (USD 5,024 - USD 7,536). © Christie's Image Ltd 2019

Painted with a central floral roundel within a bole-red, manganese and green polygon, the rim with simplified floral sprays, the cavetto's exterior with alternating stylised roundels and trefoils, the fritted and drilled foot with losses.

Note: This dish is very unusual for the period in its use of manganese purple in the border. This was a typical Iznik color in the years 1540-1560 but is very rare to find after 1600.

Lot 180. An Iznik pottery dish, Ottoman Turkey, first half 17th century; 11 ¾in. (30cm.) diam. Estimate GBP 4,000 - GBP 6,000 (USD 5,024 - USD 7,536). © Christie's Image Ltd 2019

With radiating floral design in bole-red, blue, and green, the rim with manganese 'wave-and-rock' pattern, the cavetto's exterior with alternating stylised blue trefoils and green roundels.

Lot 181. An Iznik pottery dish, Ottoman Turkey, second quarter 17th century; 11 ½in. (29cm.) diam. Estimate GBP 4,000 - GBP 6,000 (USD 5,024 - USD 7,536). © Christie's Image Ltd 2019

With a blue and white peony on leafy ground, the cavetto with simple lobed niches, the cavetto's exterior with alternating stylised green trefoils and blue roundels, the foot fritted.

Lot 183. An Iznik square pottery tile, Ottoman Turkey, circa 1640; 10in. (25.5cm.) square. Estimate GBP 6,000 - GBP 8,000 (USD 7,536 - USD 10,048). © Christie's Image Ltd 2019

Painted in manganese, turquoise, cobalt-blue, bole-red and green with scrolling vine sprouting flowerheads, leaves and blue and red pomegranates, on white ground, losses to the lower edge.

Provenance: By repute, Alexandria collection by 1965.

Note: The present lot bears a striking pomegranate design, the fruit rendered quite differently from those usually found in Iznik tiles, for example at the Rustam Pasha mosque (1561). Each pomegranate splits open to show the seeds within, the fruit half-striped in a stylised fashion. Tiles of closely comparable design were commissioned to decorate a room of the Sarospatak Castle in Hungary, built by George I of Transylvania (1639-1641), (V. Gervers-Molnar, 1978, p.381). A letter from the ambassador of Prince Rakoczy in Istanbul, dated 14th December 1640, suggests that the pattern for these tiles originated in a commission from Transylvania to a Turkish tile-maker. The ambassador writes ‘the pattern is still with the tile maker. They will make as many as you need right away, if your Excellency so orders the kahya bey’ (ibid, p. 367). The design of the Sarospatak tiles was probably repeated, at least on one occasion, for a Turkish customer; a comparable fragment may be found in the Royal Ontario Museum (acc. No. K. 464)., and further examples are now in the collection of the Hungarian National Museum of Budapest. Three tiles of identical design were offered in these Rooms, 7 October 2008, lots 400-402.

Lot 184. An Iznik square pottery tile, Ottoman Turkey, circa 1640; 10in. (25.5cm.) square. Estimate GBP 6,000 - GBP 8,000 (USD 7,536 - USD 10,048). © Christie's Image Ltd 2019

Painted in manganese, turquoise, cobalt-blue, bole-red and green with scrolling vine sprouting flowerheads, leaves and blue and red pomegranates, on white ground.

Provenance: By repute, Alexandria collection by 1965.

Lot 181. An Iznik pottery dish, Ottoman Turkey, third quarter 17th century; 10in. (25.5cm.) diam. Estimate GBP 2,000 - GBP 3,000 (USD 2,512 - USD 3,768). © Christie's Image Ltd 2019

With a bird amidst swaying floral sprigs, the caveto's exterior with highly stylised roundels, with old gallery or collection to the base, the cavetto's exterior with stylised green roundels, the foot fritted.

Christie's. Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds Including Oriental Rugs and Carpets, London, 24 Octobe 2019