A QAJAR ENGRAVED BRASS 'MAGIC' BOWL
Qajar Iran, mid to late 19th century

Of hemispherical shape, resting on a short circular foot, the interior with a protruding conical boss in the middle, curved cavetto, and an everted, flattened rim, the engraved decoration on both the interior and exterior of the bowl laid out in overlapping, concentric epigraphic bands with lobed cartouches and roundels filled with auspicious prayers and passages from the Qur'an like the Throne Verse (2:255) and the 'Four Ghol Suras', invocations to 'Ali (Nad-e 'Ali) and the Shi'a saints, talismanic numerical series engraved on the reverse of the rim, the epigraphic inscriptions alternating plain naskh and nasta'liq scripts, a later-added inscription on the flattened circular base reading 'Yusuf Karbalai' from the holy Shi'a pilgrimage site of Karbala, 19cm diam.