A SILVER COCKTAIL SHAKER

Iran, 20th century

Of cylindrical shape, divided in three parts intricately worked in horizontal registers , the central band with lobed cartouches filled with scrolling motifs, interspersed with birds, the top with a quatrain in Persian naskh script, the base with Omar Khayyam's quatrain 21 in Fitzgerald's English translation in pre-allocated cartouches "Ah, my Beloved, fill the Cup that clears To-Day/of past Regrets and future Fears/To-morrow! Why, To-morrow I may be/ Myself with Yesterday's Sev'n thousand Years", the base stamped 'Amal-e Ja'far', 25cm high, 543gr.