Lot 164, Auction 4/20/2026: Islamic Bronze Incense Tripod, Kufic Inscriptions

$845.00

In stock

Central Asia, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan or Iran, ca. 10th to 13th century CE. Cast in bronze, this hemispherical bowl rests on three short, triangular-section feet and is surmounted by four evenly spaced, tab-like rim flanges, each bearing traces of incised or cast Kufic inscriptions. The interior retains a deep, mottled turquoise and green patina, the result of centuries of stable burial and oxidation, while the exterior exhibits darker, earthy accretions. The flanges, likely functional as well as decorative, were designed to accommodate lifting rods or for suspending the vessel above a fire, suggesting use as a cauldron or incense/fire bowl. Size: 15″ W x 5.5″ H (38.1 cm x 14 cm)

This form—tripod, flange-rimmed, undecorated body—is characteristic of metalwork produced in the Khorasan region during the Seljuk and early Khwarazmian periods, where bronze casting reached exceptional technical and artistic refinement. Closely related examples are preserved in the collections of the David Collection (Copenhagen), the British Museum, and have appeared in notable auctions (cf. Christie’s, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 2011, Lot 89).

Condition: Intact with multi-colored patina throughout.

Provenance: ex-T.F. Holy Lands collection, formed since the 1960s

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