A good early 20th century Iraqi silver and niello three-piece bachelor tea set, probably Basra circa 1930

Comprising a teapot, a milk jug and a sugar bowl. The teapot nielloed with a scene of the Taq Kasra (Ruins of Ctesiphon) flanked by a camel with walker and palm trees, the obverse with the Tomb of Ezra before the river with a dhow sailing boat and two fishermen in a mashoof. The pull-off lid with a niello band of floral decoration. The sugar bowl of globular form with an everted scalloped rim raised upon three stump end feet. Nielloed with a continuous scene of the Taq Kasra (Ruins of Ctesiphon), dhow sailing boats, boatmen in gufa, and two fishermen in a mashoof along with palm trees. The milk jug of baluster form nielloed with a scene of the Taq Kasra (Ruins of Ctesiphon), dhow sailing boats by palm trees as well as a camel and rider and a shepherd with two goats and a buck on an embankment, all above a geometric band. Each piece unsigned. (3)

Teapot length – 19 cm / 7.5 inches

Sugar bowl diameter – 8.8 cm / 3.45 inches

Milk jug height – 9.8 cm / 3.8 inches

Weight – 452 grams / 14.53 ozt