Three monumental Ottoman silk calligraphic tomb covers, Turkey, 17th century
Auction Closed
March 31, 12:40 PM GMT
Estimate
80,000 - 120,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
each with a chevron design on a green silk ground with alternating bands of ivory large and smaller thuluth inscriptions
3
each, mounted: 255 by 66.5cm.
Christie's, London, 26 April 2005, lot 51A
inscriptions
In one wide band:
'God is my Lord and there is none but He.'
'Muhammad is God’s friend.’
In the other wide band:
'Blessing and peace be upon you, O God’s Messenger!’
In one narrow band:
'O God, bless and bring peace upon the noblest of all the prophets and messengers!’
In the other narrow band:
'And may Almighty God be pleased with Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali and all the rest of the Companions.’
For a detailed study on "embroidered coverings, door curtains, bands and calligraphic plaques that were set along with the annual pilgrimage caravan to the holy places, principally the Ka'aba and Makam Ibrahim in Mecca and the Tomb of the Prophet in Medina", see H. Tezcan, Sacred Covers of Islam's Holy Shrines with samples from Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, 2017, notably, pp.212-219, nos. 36-40, for examples on a green ground.
The Topkapi Palace in Istanbul stores a large collection (see ibid.) and other museum collections include: the Sadberk Hanim Museum, Istanbul (H. Bilgi, Catma & Kemha: Ottoman Silk Textiles, Sadberk Hanim Museum, Istanbul, 2007, inv. no. 1880-D.55, pp.54-5, no. 16.);
In one wide band:
'God is my Lord and there is none but He.'
'Muhammad is God’s friend.’
In the other wide band:
'Blessing and peace be upon you, O God’s Messenger!’
In one narrow band:
'O God, bless and bring peace upon the noblest of all the prophets and messengers!’
In the other narrow band:
'And may Almighty God be pleased with Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali and all the rest of the Companions.’
For a detailed study on "embroidered coverings, door curtains, bands and calligraphic plaques that were set along with the annual pilgrimage caravan to the holy places, principally the Ka'aba and Makam Ibrahim in Mecca and the Tomb of the Prophet in Medina", see H. Tezcan, Sacred Covers of Islam's Holy Shrines with samples from Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, 2017, notably, pp.212-219, nos. 36-40, for examples on a green ground.
The Topkapi Palace in Istanbul stores a large collection (see ibid.) and other museum collections include: the Sadberk Hanim Museum, Istanbul (H. Bilgi, Catma & Kemha: Ottoman Silk Textiles, Sadberk Hanim Museum, Istanbul, 2007, inv. no. 1880-D.55, pp.54-5, no. 16.);