* A SAFAVID RED, BLUE AND WHITE POTTERY QALYAN BOTTLE PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE EUROPEAN COLLECTOR Kirman, South Eastern Iran, 17th century Of typical pyriform shape, on a straight circular foot, rising to a flared narrow neck ringed at the top, with a circular mouth, the white body painted in underglaze cobalt blue and overglaze bole red, turned into a green-greyish tinge during firing, the decoration on the body consisting of alternating vertical bands, with zig-zag and lobed motifs some and stippled stylised rosette scrolls the others, on the neck and rim cobalt blue vertical stripes arranged in clusters, the bulbous spout on the shoulder with a cobalt blue floral collar, two concentric blue lines on the foot, a stylised cobalt blue mark and multiple old inventory stickers on the base, 27.4cm high. This shape, typically associated with Safavid Kirmani water-pipes ( qalyan ), was adopted by Iranian potters from the Chinese kendis (spouted pouring vessels). Given its size, it is likley to believe that this type of qalyan was to be placed on the floor beside the smoker. A similarly-sized and decorated qalyan bottle can be seen in O. Watson, Ceramics from Islamic Lands , 2004, p. 427, cat. U.26. (27.4cm high)