A SILVERED COPPER BOWL  Possibly Mamluk Syria or Iran, late 15th - early 16th century  Of rounded form with flat rim, on a circular foot, the exterior finely engraved with panels of intricate interlaced knotted strapwork, arabesque designs and stylised foliage, the interior plain with small floral decoration in the centre repeated also on the base, the silvering possibly later, 4.5cm high and 11.5cm diam. Provenance: UK private collection since early 1980s. The decoration on the surface of this bowl is reminiscent of early 16th-century 'Veneto-Saracenic' metal vessels, usually made of copper, mostly brass, and ornate with silver, or less frequently gold, inlay. That said, the shape, the manufacturing techniques and the design of the decorative composition show an interesting similarity to a group of vessels produced within the Aqqoyunlu empire. For an interesting discussion on 'Veneto-Saracenic' metal vessels, their different types and the influences and similarities with late15th-century Ottoman and Aqqoyunlu vessels, please read Sylvia Auld, "Master Mahmud and Inlaid Metalwork in the 15th Century" in Stefano Carboni, Venice and the Islamic World 828 - 1797, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2007, pp. 217 - 223, and also R. Ward and S. La Niece, "Veneto-Saracenic Metalwork: An Analysis of the Bowls and Incense Burners in the British Museum" in D. Hook and D. Gaimster, Trade and Discovery: The Scientific Study of Artefacts from Post-Medieval Europe and Beyond, The British Museum, 1995, pp. 235 - 259.