A lustre decorated pottery aquamanile, Persia, late 12th-early 13th century, on a rectangular...

A lustre decorated pottery aquamanile, Persia, late 12th-early 13th century, on a rectangular base, in the form of a bull with spiraling horns, hollow with pouring spout at end of nose, and opening with flaring neck on back, with strap handle between back and head, the horns curled together forming a palmette, decorated in brownish lustre with alternating bands containing vegetal interlace, 14cm. high, 12cm. long

Provenance: Dr Jeremy David Crosthwaite

Acquired by the late father of Dr Crosthwaite, C. N. Crosthwaite in Tehran in 1936, and then inherited by descent. C. N. Crosthwaite worked in the oil industry and purchased the aquamanile while living in the city.  He returned to the UK in 1939 with his collection of early Islamic pottery which included works from the 9th to 14th centuries.

A bull figurine of related form and purpose, for use as an aquamanile, dating to the twelfth or thirteenth century in the Keir Collection, London, is illustrated in Ernst J. Grube, Islamic Pottery of the Eighth to the Fifteenth Century in the Keir Collection, 1976, p. 241, no. 181, colour pl. facing p. 232.  Grube also illustrates on p. 241, no. 180 a smaller figurine of a seated lioness with a funnel for filling the liquid and a handle for lifting the vessel but no spout to pour from the mouth.  This may have been used for perfume rather than water or wine, with the liquid sprinkled from the point of entry.  Both the Keir pieces are decorated in the “Reyy style” of lustre painting on a cobalt blue ground.

A similar figurine from the Ades Family Collection can be seen in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (Oliver Watson, Persian Lustre, London, 1985, pp. 117-18).