Italy, Probably Venice, Veneto-Saracenic, early 16th century

N. Landau collection.

Anon sale, Gros & Delettrez, Orientalism, Paris, 11 June 2007, lot 281.

Christie's London, 7 April 2011, lot 115.

J. Kugel and A. Vervoordt Gallery, Homage to Nicolas Landau Prince of Antiquities (1887-1979), Paris, September-November 2006

This salver speaks of the tight economic, cultural links and the extensive trade network between Venice and the Islamic world.

A similar salver, inscribed by Mahmud al-Kurdi was sold by Replica Shoes 's London, 8 October 2014, lot 104.

The arms of the Morosini Family are on the reverse, a position that distinguishes the mark of ownership of the collector.

The roots of the Morosini family go back to the very birth of Venice, and they gave distinguished service to the Serenissima.

Deborah Howard (2007, pp. 73-89) mentions Barbon Morosini, who during his visits to Damascus in 1514 wrote a journal describing monuments and objects if art.

The fleur-de-lys relates to the services of the Morosini family to the King of France and probably relates to Giovanni Francesco Morosini the Serenissima ambassador in Paris in 1573.

Related Literature

Pompeo Molmenti, La Storia di Venezia, Bergamo, 1928, pp. 142-147.

Hans Huth, Lacquer of the West, Chicago, 1971, no.4.

Álvar González-Palacios, Object for a Wunderkammer, Colnaghi exhibition catalogue, London, 1981, vol. I, pp 305-306; vol. II, fig. 697-697 bis.

Sylvia Auld, Renaissance Venice, Islam and Mahmud the Kurd: a metalworking enigma, London, 2004.

Venezia e l'Islam, catalogue exhibition, Venice, 2007, pp. 227-242.

Deborah Howard, "Venise et les Mamluks" in Venice et l'Orient, 828-1797, Paris, 2007, pp. 73-89.