A rare early 20th century Iraqi silver and niello mustard pot, Nasiriyah circa 1910

early period, of cylindrical form with a C scroll handle with a hinged domed lid raised by a notched thumbpiece. The sides nielloed with a scene of the Tomb of Ezra, standing figures wearing a veil as well as a woman upon a donkey and a man leading a camel, besides palm trees and a sloughi dog. The lid with a central rosette, edged with a frieze of a bird in a bush, then a sloughi dog besides two figures and two bison. Gilt interior and gilt upper band to rim. Unsigned.

Length – 6 cm / 2.3 inches

Weight – 69 grams / 2.22 ozt

The majority of Iraqi niello silver is found from the period following WWI, these rarer earlier wares are understood to come from Nasiriyah and are characterised by bolder more thickly delineated niello areas. Farhan is a maker known to have been working in the area, found on signed pieces including those made after WWI.