A MAMLUK-REVIVAL POLYCHROME-ENAMELLED CLEAR GLASS BEAKER
Possibly France or Egypt, late 19th - 20th century

Of conical shape, resting on a reinforced circular base, rising to a wide everted circular rim, the shape typical of Ilkhanid and Mamluk wine cup examples, the painted decoration consisting of red fishes in the lower section of the body and a white-enamelled calligraphic inscription in pseudo-thuluth script encased within two narrow golden bands, and white and green beaded strands, 17cm high and 11.8cm diam.

The beaker shows the distinctive structure unique to models produced in the Middle East in the 13th - 14th centuries. For comparable examples of the Ayyubid - Mamluk period, please see Sotheby's London, 25 October 2017, lot 143 and a beaker in the British Museum's collection in London (1879,0522.68). The BM example bears a beautiful and vibrant decoration with golden fishes outlined in red, swimming freely on the surface of the beaker. This peculiar motif, with swimming fishes painted in gold and always outlined in red, was a popular one on these glass drinking vessels, and as such, it became part of the repertoire of later Mamluk-revival glass beakers too, like ours. When filled with drinks, the fish decoration would almost create the illusion that the fishes were actually swimming in and out of the precious liquid.