A SMALL ENGRAVED BRASS BOWL WITH THE MAMLUK SCRIBE'S INSIGNIA
Mamluk Egypt or Syria, 15th century

Of circular shape, with a flat base, tapering sides, and reinforced rim, the exterior coarsely engraved with three horizontal decorative bands, the widest at the top featuring oval cartouches of calligraphy and intricate knotwork interspersed with roundels filled with the Mamluk insignia of the courtly scribe in the form of a rectangular pen case with inkwell, below this band another with vegetal scrollwork, and another underneath it with stylised arrow-shaped fringes, the interior plain, 14.2cm diam. and 7cm high.