An intact Iznik tile with "Cintamani" design, Tekfur Saray workshop, ca. 1730

Dim.: ca. 25 x 25 x 1,4 cm

Condition: Minor wear on the edges, a firing flaw with related faint hairline as visible on the right side of the tile.

The Tekfur Saray factory in Istanbul was founded by the Vizier David Ibrahim in 1724 in an attempt to revive the Ottoman tile industry. The tile is painted in cobalt blue, rich sealing wax red or Armenian bole applied in low relief, and green, with outlines of black against crisp white ground under a clear glaze with a gentle tinge of blue.

See also:
- Royal Museum, Edinburgh, inv. nr. A. 1892.27, for a tile panel incorporating this type of tile. (link)
- Musée Ariana, Genève, Inv. 15128, as depicted in Terres d'Islam: Les collections de céramique moyen-orientale du Musée Ariana à Genève, 2014.

Provenance: (By repute) The family of former Egyptian Prime Minister Nubar Pasha (1825-1899)