A KASHAN MOULDED POTTERY BULL ( GAV ) WITH HOWDAHIRAN, 12TH CENTURYA KASHAN MOULDED POTTERY BULL (GAV) WITH HOWDAHIRAN, 12TH CENTURYIn the form of a bull with a howdah on its back, with a turquoise glaze all over, intact8in. (20.3cm.) high; 6 1/8in. (15.5cm.) longAlthough monumental sculpture is virtually non-existent in the Islamic world, small scale modelling was a common product of potters in Iran in the pre-Mongol period (Oliver Watson, Ceramics of Iran, London, 2020, p.318, no.161). Lions and bulls/cows (gav), such as that offered here, were amongst the most popular subjects – perhaps with astrological significance as Leo and Taurus are zodiacal signs and the domicile of the benevolent planets the Sun and Venus (Toby Falk, Treasures of Islam, exhibition catalogue, New Jersey, 1985, p.233). These sculptures all appear to have some function - the type of which survives in most plentiful numbers are aquamaniles. The mouth of our gav is formed as a spout and was probably intended for such a purpose. Our gav is a particularly interesting hybrid. Although the monochrome turquoise glaze, and the curled horns are fairly standard and associated with the production of Kashan, no other examples of a gav are known with a howdah on their back. The howdah on our gav is of a type frequently found on elephant figures which Gibson associates more with Raqqa because of an example in the Khalili Collection which has a ‘laqabi’ glaze (inv. POT 1285; Melanie Gibson, Tak?k and TImthal: A Study of Glazed Ceramic Sculpture from Iran and Syria circa 1150-1250, PhD thesis, SOAS, 2010).细节 A KASHAN MOULDED POTTERY BULL (GAV) WITH HOWDAHIRAN, 12TH CENTURYIn the form of a bull with a howdah on its back, with a turquoise glaze all over, intact8in. (20.3cm.) high; 6 1/8in. (15.5cm.) long 来源 Excavated Awdan Tepe, Gurgan, 1946-7 注意事项 This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice. The USA prohibits the purchase by US persons of Iranian-origin “works of conventional craftsmanship” such as carpets, textiles, decorative objects, and scientific instruments. The US sanctions apply to US persons regardless of the location of the transaction or the shipping intentions of the US person. For this reason, Christie’s will not accept bids by US persons on this lot. Non-US persons wishing to import this lot into the USA are advised that they will need to apply for an OFAC licence and that this can take many months to be granted.