A rare intact Mamluk underglaze-decorated bowl, Syria, 13th-14th century

of rounded form with flattened inverted rim and short foot, the interior painted in cobalt blue with a floriated kufic design against a ground of leaves and scrolls, the rim with alternating blue and black panels separated by red dots, the exterior with cursive inscription interrupted by trefoils

Sold on 19 January 1928 by Kalebdjian Frères, Antiquaires, 12 Rue de la Paix, Paris

Old repair to rim chip with touching in, minor rim frits, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any stat.mes nt made by Replica Shoes 's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

inscriptions
Inside, one word in Kufic, undeciphered

On the outer wall, repetition of one word, possibly al-'izz 'Glory'

The rare technique of firing iron-red pigment under the glaze was first developed at Raqqa in eastern Syria under the patronage of the Ayyubid prince al-Malik al-Ashraf Musa (1201-1229). With the collapse of the Euphrates kilns in the final wave of Mongol invasions between 1258 and 1265, some of the Raqqa potters appear to have moved westwards to Damascus where they continued production under Mamluk patronage and protection. This continuity of tradition in Greater Syria in the thirteenth century is evident in the present example.

Underglaze decoration became a speciality of the potters of Damascus, building on the achievement of their predecessors at Raqqa. The combination of cobalt blue, black and brownish-red used on this bowl is typical. Other features which are characteristically Syrian are the gritty white body, and the thick, slightly-bluish crazed glaze which pools in the well of the interior and gathers in hardened droplets on the footring. Although this was a mass-production industry, surviving intact Damascus bowls, such as the present example, are extremely rare. For a detailed discussion of Damascus production in the Mamluk period, see Gibbs 1998.