THREE SECTIONS OF POLYCHROME-PAINTED ENAMELLED WATER PIPES (QALYAN)
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
Qajar Iran, 19th century

Comprising two neck sections, both painted in polychrome enamels and gold against a cobalt blue ground on silver, decorated with oval miniature portraits of Qajar beaus and ladies interspersed amidst foliage, gold rosette scrolls, anthropomorphised sun-like roundels, and pairs of birds, both sections retaining their original chainlets, 16cm and 14.5cm high; and a third similar neck section, the polychrome-painted enamelled decoration on copper more naive and simple in style but following a similar articulation, 14cm high.