{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O73494"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O73494/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017KM9060/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017KM9060/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017KM9060","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KM9061","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O73494/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O73494","accessionNumber":"527-1876","objectType":"Kohl flask","titles":[{"title":"Kohl Flask (sormedan)","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"A small bottle with an ovoid body standing on three leg,s the extremities of which resemble feet. The ovoid body sits in a well at the top of the legs. The tops of the legs have projecting mouldings which may once have been, according to Melikian-Chirvani, in the form of roosting birds. The bodies of two are pierced. The body is decorated by three semicircular arches moulded in high relief resting on projecting knops at the point of tangency. (Semicircular arches are not found on wares later than the 8th or 9th century). Engraved decoration on the body almost erased by wear.  It included large fleur-de-lys designs with circular lateral lobes and cusped central lobes wedged between the arches.The piece is completed with a tubular neck and a flat everted rim.\r\nPatina an ashen olive colour.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28674"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"brass","id":"AAT10946"}],"techniques":[{"text":"cast","id":"x32615"},{"text":"engraved","id":"AAT53829"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Cast brass with engraved decoration, faint traces of black composition inlay.","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[{"text":"Iranian","id":"x35873"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MES","id":"THES48607"},"images":["2017KM9060","2017KM9061"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES367332"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Bottle","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Khorasan","id":"THES412603"},"association":{"text":"cast","id":"x32615"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"Iran","id":"x30220"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"800-900","earliest":"0800-01-01","latest":"0900-12-31"},"association":{"text":"cast","id":"x32615"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"8.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"3.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"of body","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"1.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"of opening","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought from Monsieur Jules Richard by Major Robert Murdoch Smith for 2s 6d on 22nd December 1875.\n\nHistorical significance: One of the earliest pieces from Islamic Iran in any Western institution.\r\nAlthough different in scale and additional details, its profile compares with that of an 8th century ewer in Kabul Museum. The flask also compares with a tripod pouring-vessel found in a cache at Maymana, Eastern Khorasan, probably dated 8th or 9th century. A piece of indentical shape with similar birds appeared in Kabul market in November 1976.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"A small ovoid bottle standing on three legs.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Melikian-Chirvani,A.S. <u> Islamic Metalwork from the Iranian World.</u> London:HMSO, 1982. p42. ISBN 0 11 290252 9"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"fleur-de-lys","id":"x35400"},{"text":"birds","id":"x35043"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["527-1876"],"accessionNumberNum":"527","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1876,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-10-02","recordCreationDate":"2003-01-28","availableToBook":true}}