KHORASSAN, NORTH EAST IRAN, 12TH CENTURY

Zoomorphic incense burners grew in popularity towards the end of the 12^th century, produced in workshops in North East Iran. The burners took the form of stylised felines and birds with perforated bodies. In the case of the feline incense burners, the head was hinged or removable in order to allow for the incense to be placed within the body (Eva Baer, Metalwork in Medieval Islamic Art, Albany, 1983, p.58). An example which closely relates to ours was sold in these Rooms, 6 Oct 2009, lot 21. The similarities are pronounced in the striated detail around the mouth and protruding canines. In addition, they share the same almond shaped eyes and three-dimensional pentagonal nose sweeping into upright ears. The largest example of a feline incense burner is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (acc.no.51.56) stands 84cm. tall and is dated AH 577 / 1181-1182 AD.