Islamic Tinned Copper Ewer & Basin, Signed & Dated

Ewer and basin sets such as these were used for hand washing typically before meals and after journeys. Often the ewer would hold delicately-scented rosewater.

The ewer and the basin are of copper that has been tinned all over. The ewer is of bulbous form, the body being engraved with four concentric rings. The hinged lid is engraved with two rings.

The basin, with a scalloped rim and perforated removable well cover is similarly engraved with four rings and a maker’s or owner’s mark, in Arabic, and with the date AH 1248 (AD 1832).

Illustrated:

This actual item is illustrated as a full page in Nuzhat Kazmi, Islamic Art: The Past and Modern, Roli Books, 2009, page 105. (See the last two images for this.)