AN ENSEMBLE OF SOUTH ASIAN INSTRUMENTS FROM THE COLLECTION OF VIRAM JASANI (B. 1945) Possibly Afghanistan or Pakistan, ca. 1990sλ A HERATI BONE, MOTHER-OF-PEARL, TURQUOISE AND IVORY-INLAID DUTAR (LUTE)Possibly Afghanistan or Pakistan, ca. 1990s Of typical design, with a gourd-shaped resonance chamber and a long tapering neck, with fourteen strings, the resonance chamber pierced on the front with geometric and star-shaped patterns, the chamber's back and the neck decorated with micro-mosaic of bone, ivory and mother-of-pearl tesserae shaped as geometric fretwork bands, pyramids, rosettes, birds and stylised scrollwork, all heightened by small turquoise beads, next to the join between the resonance chamber and the neck a later-added inscription in Dari reading Daud Payin, 120cm high. The dutar is a traditional long-necked lute with a warm, dulcet tone, usually played with two strings in Iran and Central Asia, and with fourteen strings in Afghanistan. This specific example was purchased by the present vendor from a Kabul-based renowned Afghani musician called Ustad Ghulam Haider in 2001. This item may require Export or CITES licences in order to leave the UK or the European Union. It is the buyer's responsibility to ensure that lots have the relevant licences before shipping. Dimensions 120cm high