Iran, Shiraz, 18th - 19th century
Height of ewers: 6 1/2 and 6 3/4 inches 16.5 and 17 cm
Height of bottle: 5 1/4 inches, 13.5 cm

Three vessels made from blue glass. The body of each ewer, which is partly blown in a mould, stands on a circular base of solid glass. It opens up into a convex shape and then tapers into a delicately fluted upper body. The long elegant spout stems from the convex body and ends in a butterfly shaped decoration. Around the base of the neck is a thread decoration in the form of a ribbon, which also serves as a handle. The hand-blown glass bottle has a gently curved cylindrical body, which opens up to a small dish-rimmed top.

These elegant glass vessels were made in the 19th century in Iran at a time when a revival of the local glass industry was taking place. Although glass production was well established in the Iranian region in medieval times, between the 13th and 17th centuries, for reasons as yet unknown, its glass industry went into decline.1 At the beginning of the 16th century Venice, having imported Iranian glass in medieval times, became the leading producer and exporter to the Muslim world, producing many items specifically for the Islamic market. The rising popularity of glass in countries such as England and the Netherlands however, prompted a revival of the Iranian production with vessels of this type appearing in Europe shortly after the 19th century. An identical ewer is in the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Further similar examples can be found in the Museum für Islamische Kunst, Berlin2 and the David Collection, Copenhagen. 3

1 - Carboni, S. Glass from the Islamic Lands, Kuwait National Museum, 2001, p. 371
2 - Islamische Kunst Verborgene Schåtze, Selm, Berlin 1986, no. 323, p.166
3 -Foldsach, von, K. Art from the World of Islam in The David Collection, Copenhagen 2001, no. 358, p. 223