{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O85352"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O85352/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BT0537/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BT0537/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BT0537","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM1729","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KV2912","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O85352/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O85352","accessionNumber":"337-1903","objectType":"Weight","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This rare blue and white ball was made for suspension in a mosque or tomb from the same chain as the lamps or on chains at the same level as the lamps. The flattened sphere has a nipple at the bottom and a hole at the top that served a dual function: it allowed air to escape during firing and was used to attach a hook for suspension. The shape may have been imitating Ostrich eggs which are also found suspended from chains. Ostrich eggs were often a memento of a pilgrimage to Mecca.","physicalDescription":"Spherical hanging ornament, fritware, compressed spherical form, with pierced nipple at the bottom and a hole at the top, painted in cobalt blue with a frame around the hole, above a second zone framed by a beaded band containing an elaborate foliate kufi inscription on a blue ground with with blossoms and triple dots sprinkled in the voids, an abbreviated form of <i>Allah</i> above the letters, the zone at the bottom, also painted in reserve is divided into three sections by knotted bands that evolve from a star enclosing the nipple.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Fritware","id":"x29419"}],"techniques":[{"text":"underglaze","id":"AAT48642"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Fritware painted in underglaze blue","categories":[{"text":"Ceramics","id":"THES48982"}],"styles":[{"text":"Ottoman","id":"AAT21614"},{"text":"Iznik","id":"AAT21623"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MES","id":"THES48607"},"images":["2008BT0537","2007BM1729","2018KV2912"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"145","id":"THES49865"},"free":"","case":"30","shelf":"3","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"counterweight","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Iznik","id":"x32510"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"Turkey","id":"x29225"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1515","earliest":"1510-01-01","latest":"1519-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"13.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"17.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Kufi inscription not deciphered but contains an abbreviated form of <i>Allah</i> above the letters."}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Hanging ornament, fritware, painted in underglaze blue, Turkey, Iznik, about 1515","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Atil, Esin, <u>The Age of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent</u>. Catalogue of the Exhibition held at The National Gallery of Art, Washington, 25th Jan - 17th May, 1987; \r\nThe Art Institute of Chicago, 14th June - 7th Sept., 1987; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 4th Oct - 17th Jan., 1988.  Washington: The National Gallery of Art and New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc, 1987. ISBN 0-89468-098-6 (paper), 0-8109-1855-2 (cloth). Plate 167, p. 320, illustration p. 247."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Lane, A. 'The Ottoman Pottery of  Isnik' In: Ars Orientalis, 2, 1957, pp  247-281. P. 261"},{"reference":{"text":"Nurhan Atasoy and Julian Raby. Iznik: The Pottery of Ottoman Turkey. London: Alexandria Press, 1989.","id":"AUTH407104"},"details":"p. 90, ill. 79 and p. 152, Plate 280","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Ball for suspension in a mosque.\r\nTURKISH (ISNIK); early 16th century\r\n337-1903","date":{"text":"1954-2005","earliest":"1954-01-01","latest":"2005-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["337-1903"],"accessionNumberNum":"337","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1903,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-15","recordCreationDate":"2003-11-07","availableToBook":false}}