A SARI WARE SLIP-PAINTED POTTERY 'BIRD' BOWL Northern Persia, 10th-11th century. With deep rounded sides supported on a short foot, painted in manganese brown, mustard, dark brown, and white spots on a cream ground, depicting an ornamented bird with an elongated comb and tail feathers, surrounded by four floral medallions, a band of bold brown spots circling the rim.

Provenance: Mohamed Makiya private collection and thence by descent. Mohamed Makiya (1914-2015) was an architect noted for establishing Iraq's first department of architecture at the University of Baghdad. He is best known for his extension to the Khulafa Mosque in Baghdad. In the early 1970s, Makiya and his family relocated to London where he established the Kufa Gallery for Islamic and Arab art. In 2016, Iraq honored Mohamed Makiya with a 1,000 Dinar postage stamp.
Condition: The bowl was broken into several pieces and has been reassembled, with associated fills and touchups. Small losses.

Weight: 362 g
Dimensions: Diameter 18.9 cm