PROBABLY NORTH EAST IRAN, 6TH/8TH CENTURY

Only one other glass vessel of this shape appears to have been published, a much smaller and simpler version that is now in the al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait (Stefano Carboni, Glass from Islamic Lands, the al-Sabah Collection, London, 2001, no.2.16, p.117; A. S. Melikian-Chirvani,"Early Iranian Jade", Bulletin of the Asia Institute, New Series, vol.11, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, 1997, fig.8, p.144). The decorative repertoire of the present example is considerably stronger, and makes its dating easier. The pronounced drop-shaped panels left proud of the surface are similar to the roundels on late Sassanian glass vessels such as three in the Corning Museum of Glass (David Whitehouse, Sassanian and post Sassanian Glass in the Corning Museum of Glass, New York, 2005, nos.50-52, pp.45-46). Similar feet are also found on a green glass small bottle in the Metropolitan museum of Art (Marilyn Jenkins, "Islamic Glass, a Brief history", Bulletin of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Fall 1986, no.23, pp.24-25). For a discussion about the boat-shaped wine cups, including a quote from a 14th century poem by 'Imad Kirmani which discusses ".... the crystal cup Like a crescent moon....." please see A. S. Melikian-Chirvani, "From the Royal Boat to the Beggar's bowl", Islamic Art IV, New York, 1992, esp. p.21).