Central Asia, Persia, Kashan period, ca. 13th century CE. A gorgeous luster ware bowl boasting thin, flared walls meticulously hand painted with scrolling phytomorphic and calligraphic decoration. Clear glaze, sometimes tinted with cobalt as seen here, was often used for the exterior surfaces of bowls. Once the glaze was fired and decorated with the luster compound a second firing at a lower temperature with restricted airflow removed the oxygen from the metal oxide, fixing a layer of metal only a few molecules thick with a lustrous sheen upon the surface of the vessel or tile. The inscriptions on bowls like this one are Arabic proverbs - in fact, some of the first extant examples that appear in the Islamic world. Each inscription is read by turning the bowl counterclockwise. Some of these inscriptions are a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad, and others are referencing social codes from the Samanids, who deeply valued hospitality and generosity. Size: 9.1" Diameter x 4" H (23.1 cm x 10.2 cm)

The town of Kashan, was a city associated with high-quality ceramic production in the medieval period. It appears to have been a major site for the manufacture of fine wares between the 1170s and 1220s as well as in the later 13th and early 14th centuries. Kashan lusterware is superior in quality to all others and often features dense patterns and every square inch of surface area is decorated.