Lot

43

AN EXTREMELY RARE IZNIK POTTERY TILE FROM THE CINILI HAMAM

In Islamic & Indian Art

Please log in or sign up to place a bid.
This auction is live! You need to be registered and approved to bid at this auction.
You have been outbid. For the best chance of winning, increase your maximum bid.
Your bid or registration is pending approval with the auctioneer. Please check your email account for more details.
Unfortunately, your registration has been declined by the auctioneer. You can contact the auctioneer on 0207 930 9115 for more information.
You are the current highest bidder! To be sure to win, log in for the live auction broadcast on or increase your max bid.
Leave a bid now! Your registration has been successful.
Sorry, bidding has ended on this item. We have thousands of new lots everyday, start a new search.
Bidding on this auction has not started. Please register now so you are approved to bid when auction starts.
1/4
AN EXTREMELY RARE IZNIK POTTERY TILE FROM THE CINILI HAMAM - Image 1 of 4
AN EXTREMELY RARE IZNIK POTTERY TILE FROM THE CINILI HAMAM - Image 2 of 4
AN EXTREMELY RARE IZNIK POTTERY TILE FROM THE CINILI HAMAM - Image 3 of 4
AN EXTREMELY RARE IZNIK POTTERY TILE FROM THE CINILI HAMAM - Image 4 of 4
AN EXTREMELY RARE IZNIK POTTERY TILE FROM THE CINILI HAMAM - Image 1 of 4
AN EXTREMELY RARE IZNIK POTTERY TILE FROM THE CINILI HAMAM - Image 2 of 4
AN EXTREMELY RARE IZNIK POTTERY TILE FROM THE CINILI HAMAM - Image 3 of 4
AN EXTREMELY RARE IZNIK POTTERY TILE FROM THE CINILI HAMAM - Image 4 of 4
This auction shows Current bids
Loading... Loading...
Register to bid online Register to bid online
You're registered for this auction
Waiting for registration approval
Registration has been declined
London
Payment Option
Payment Option
Payment Option
Payment Option
Passed GBP
London

AN EXTREMELY RARE IZNIK POTTERY TILE FROM THE CINILI HAMAM
OTTOMAN TURKEY, CIRCA 1540
of hexagonal form, underglaze, the main field decorated in white against a dark blue background, with details picked out in turquoise, the primary element of the design is an asymmetrical prunus tree in blossom, growing from a bunch of fleshy saz leaves at the base, from this base also sprout two other stems in the saz style, the right one with a large rosette as well as buds and leaves, and the left stem ending in a distinctive three-petalled tulip decorated with dark blue dots and turquoise teardrop shapes, at the top right is a Chinese-inspired cloud motif, and the borders are of turquoise with a repeat pattern of rosettes in two different sizes
28.3cm diameter max.

Provenance:
Baron Leon van der Elst (Belgian, 1865-1933).Count Frederick van der Steen de Jehay (Belgian, 1858-1916).Henriette de Jourda de Vaux (Belgian, 1865-1946).Marie-Noelle Kelly (Belgian, 1901-1999); thence by descent. 

Each of the following three Iznik tiles (lots 43-45) are accompanied by handwritten notes dated to 1905. The note reads in French translates to:

‘Three pieces of pottery from mosques that were given to me by the mother of the young Marcel van der Elst, and that came from the collection of his grandfather. Constantinople 14 June 1905.’

Two of the notes are written in the hand of Count Frederick van der Steen de Jehay (1858-1916), the recipient of the Iznik tiles, who served as a distinguished politician and diplomat. Most notably, he was posted as special envoy to Istanbul from 1897-1905. The end of his appointment coincides with the year these tiles came into his possession, suggesting that they may have been given to him to mark the end of his tenure.

After his tenure in Istanbul, he was made Chief of Cabinet of the Belgian Ministery of Foreign Affairs. His wife, Henriette (1873-1957) was lady-in-waiting to Queen Elisabeth, wife of King Albert I of Belgium. Frederick and Henriette bore no children, and the tiles would have been inherited by her sister, Jeanne Snoy (1878-1955) who married Count Charles de Jourda de Vaux (1865-1946). It is through this line that the tiles were inherited by the late Sir Bernard Kelly’s wife, Marie-Noelle Kelly, niece of Jeanne Snoy, and have remained in the family since.

The grandfather of Marcel van der Elst is named as M. v. d Elst within a note written in a different hand (see fig. 1a). The name is likely to refer to Leon Baron van der Elst (1865-1933), a highly distinguished diplomat, negotiator, and was most notable for being the foreign affairs advisor to King Leopold II of Belgium from 1906 to 1918. In an historical biographical account, (see www.ars-moriendi.be), Baron van der Elst put Count ven der Steen de Jehay forward as chief ‘ad interim’ of the King’s cabinet from 1916 up until his death, highlighting the esteem the Baron held for the Count.

Although there are no further provenance details for the other two tiles, the prior history of the piece from the Çinili Hamam, lot 43, is known. An anonymous document addressed to Sultan Abdülhamid II states that a French antiques dealer, Ludovic Lupti, had stripped the hamam of its tiles around 1874 and subsequently taken them to France, paying pennies for each of them. From Paris he sold them to museums and collections across the continent for the princely sum of 24 francs each. This appears to have been the sole point of dispersal for all the tiles from this group, which can now be found in major collections in France, the UK, and Türkiye (see Özbay and Şengozer, Barbarossa’s Cinili Hamam: A Masterpiece by Sinan, 2023, pp. 52, 266).

Note: 
This tile is one of only three complete tiles bearing this pattern. The example in the Victoria & Albert Museum was made by cutting two damaged tiles and fitting the remaining parts together (see Atasoy and Raby, Iznik: The pottery of Ottoman Turkey, 1989, fig. 501). The third of these tiles is in the Ömer Koç Collection, Istanbul (see H. Bilgi 2015, no.15). Although the overall design of each is the same, suggesting the use of stencils, there are subtle alterations in details of colour and patterning between the three. During the conservation of the Çinili Hamas which took place from 2010-23, fragments of tiles were found under and above the wall plaster, including several pieces of the same design as this tile (see Özbay and Şengozer,  Barbarossa’s Cinili Hamam: A Masterpiece by Sinan, 2023, figs. 4.6e and 4.7 pattern 20). Exactly where this tile design was placed within the hamam is unclear, it is certain that both the men’s and women’s sections were decorated in this fashion, and hexagonal tiles appear to have been used side-by-side to create uninterrupted walls of a single design (opp, cit, pp. 192-7). The basic design of the tile was clearly popular among the potters of Iznik and their clients. With a pattern spread over two tiles rather than one and with mossy green added to the palette, a contemporary tile panel in the David Collection employs the same elegant prunus along with the non-natural serrated leaves and tulips at the base, and both may have been inspired by the arts of the book (see Atasoy and Raby 1989, figs. 229-30, pp. 134-5). A blue-ground dish in the British Museum, made half a century later, uses a slightly simplified version of the same design (see J. Carswell, 1988, fig. 56 pp. 80-1).The Çinili Hamam’s patron was none other than the great kapudan-i derya (Admiral) Hayreddin Pasha, better known in the West as Barbarossa. He was one of the most important characters of the reign of Süleyman the Magnificent, leading Ottoman naval forces across the Mediterranean from around 1510 until his death in 1546. That his hamam was constructed in the prestigious Zeyrek district of Istanbul was a testament to his importance, with the endowment deed of 1534 stating that the Sultan himself had reserved access to the nearby aqueduct’s water for the Hamam’s use (see opp. cit, pp. 78-9). As a key figure at the Ottoman court, Barbarossa was given access to both Sinan, the greatest architect of the time, as well as the Nakkaşhane (imperial painters’ workshop) which provided designs for the tiles. The baths were adjacent to the mansions of palace dignitaries as well as easily accessible from nearby main roads, making it an easy source of money to be provided to Barbarossa’s charitable foundations elsewhere in the city (ibid, pp. 181-4). Sinan himself was a pioneer in including tiles within the overall architectural scheme of buildings, as seen in the Çinili Hamam, and may even have been in charge of the Iznik ceramic industry in this period [Necipoğlu 1990, pp. 154-5].Originally named after its patron or his titles as Admiral, the name by which the hamam is now known derives from the extensive tilework (‘Çinili’ means ‘tiled’), which distinguished it from other baths of the period which lacked extensive tile decoration. Such was the impression made by the tiles that one of the leading Ottoman poets of the day praised them on the occasion of the Hamam’s opening, suggesting that they had overcome even the ‘beautiful ones of China’. Although it was considered one of the preeminent baths of Istanbul during the 16th and 17th century, the Çinili Hamam was damaged by fires during the 18th century and finally destroyed by fire in 1833, passing through multiple hands thereafter (see opp. cit,  2023, pp. 82-91). After an extensive process of restoration, the hamam has now reopened, along with a small museum including both archaeological finds and the tile fragments found under the plaster. In its new state, it truly reflects the sentiment of the poetry found on some of the surviving tiles:“The area of the bath is like Paradise/Although its foundations are made of clay and bricks” (see opp. cit, p. 43]. 

AN EXTREMELY RARE IZNIK POTTERY TILE FROM THE CINILI HAMAM
OTTOMAN TURKEY, CIRCA 1540
of hexagonal form, underglaze, the main field decorated in white against a dark blue background, with details picked out in turquoise, the primary element of the design is an asymmetrical prunus tree in blossom, growing from a bunch of fleshy saz leaves at the base, from this base also sprout two other stems in the saz style, the right one with a large rosette as well as buds and leaves, and the left stem ending in a distinctive three-petalled tulip decorated with dark blue dots and turquoise teardrop shapes, at the top right is a Chinese-inspired cloud motif, and the borders are of turquoise with a repeat pattern of rosettes in two different sizes
28.3cm diameter max.

Provenance:
Baron Leon van der Elst (Belgian, 1865-1933).Count Frederick van der Steen de Jehay (Belgian, 1858-1916).Henriette de Jourda de Vaux (Belgian, 1865-1946).Marie-Noelle Kelly (Belgian, 1901-1999); thence by descent. 

Each of the following three Iznik tiles (lots 43-45) are accompanied by handwritten notes dated to 1905. The note reads in French translates to:

‘Three pieces of pottery from mosques that were given to me by the mother of the young Marcel van der Elst, and that came from the collection of his grandfather. Constantinople 14 June 1905.’

Two of the notes are written in the hand of Count Frederick van der Steen de Jehay (1858-1916), the recipient of the Iznik tiles, who served as a distinguished politician and diplomat. Most notably, he was posted as special envoy to Istanbul from 1897-1905. The end of his appointment coincides with the year these tiles came into his possession, suggesting that they may have been given to him to mark the end of his tenure.

After his tenure in Istanbul, he was made Chief of Cabinet of the Belgian Ministery of Foreign Affairs. His wife, Henriette (1873-1957) was lady-in-waiting to Queen Elisabeth, wife of King Albert I of Belgium. Frederick and Henriette bore no children, and the tiles would have been inherited by her sister, Jeanne Snoy (1878-1955) who married Count Charles de Jourda de Vaux (1865-1946). It is through this line that the tiles were inherited by the late Sir Bernard Kelly’s wife, Marie-Noelle Kelly, niece of Jeanne Snoy, and have remained in the family since.

The grandfather of Marcel van der Elst is named as M. v. d Elst within a note written in a different hand (see fig. 1a). The name is likely to refer to Leon Baron van der Elst (1865-1933), a highly distinguished diplomat, negotiator, and was most notable for being the foreign affairs advisor to King Leopold II of Belgium from 1906 to 1918. In an historical biographical account, (see www.ars-moriendi.be), Baron van der Elst put Count ven der Steen de Jehay forward as chief ‘ad interim’ of the King’s cabinet from 1916 up until his death, highlighting the esteem the Baron held for the Count.

Although there are no further provenance details for the other two tiles, the prior history of the piece from the Çinili Hamam, lot 43, is known. An anonymous document addressed to Sultan Abdülhamid II states that a French antiques dealer, Ludovic Lupti, had stripped the hamam of its tiles around 1874 and subsequently taken them to France, paying pennies for each of them. From Paris he sold them to museums and collections across the continent for the princely sum of 24 francs each. This appears to have been the sole point of dispersal for all the tiles from this group, which can now be found in major collections in France, the UK, and Türkiye (see Özbay and Şengozer, Barbarossa’s Cinili Hamam: A Masterpiece by Sinan, 2023, pp. 52, 266).

Note: 
This tile is one of only three complete tiles bearing this pattern. The example in the Victoria & Albert Museum was made by cutting two damaged tiles and fitting the remaining parts together (see Atasoy and Raby, Iznik: The pottery of Ottoman Turkey, 1989, fig. 501). The third of these tiles is in the Ömer Koç Collection, Istanbul (see H. Bilgi 2015, no.15). Although the overall design of each is the same, suggesting the use of stencils, there are subtle alterations in details of colour and patterning between the three. During the conservation of the Çinili Hamas which took place from 2010-23, fragments of tiles were found under and above the wall plaster, including several pieces of the same design as this tile (see Özbay and Şengozer,  Barbarossa’s Cinili Hamam: A Masterpiece by Sinan, 2023, figs. 4.6e and 4.7 pattern 20). Exactly where this tile design was placed within the hamam is unclear, it is certain that both the men’s and women’s sections were decorated in this fashion, and hexagonal tiles appear to have been used side-by-side to create uninterrupted walls of a single design (opp, cit, pp. 192-7). The basic design of the tile was clearly popular among the potters of Iznik and their clients. With a pattern spread over two tiles rather than one and with mossy green added to the palette, a contemporary tile panel in the David Collection employs the same elegant prunus along with the non-natural serrated leaves and tulips at the base, and both may have been inspired by the arts of the book (see Atasoy and Raby 1989, figs. 229-30, pp. 134-5). A blue-ground dish in the British Museum, made half a century later, uses a slightly simplified version of the same design (see J. Carswell, 1988, fig. 56 pp. 80-1).The Çinili Hamam’s patron was none other than the great kapudan-i derya (Admiral) Hayreddin Pasha, better known in the West as Barbarossa. He was one of the most important characters of the reign of Süleyman the Magnificent, leading Ottoman naval forces across the Mediterranean from around 1510 until his death in 1546. That his hamam was constructed in the prestigious Zeyrek district of Istanbul was a testament to his importance, with the endowment deed of 1534 stating that the Sultan himself had reserved access to the nearby aqueduct’s water for the Hamam’s use (see opp. cit, pp. 78-9). As a key figure at the Ottoman court, Barbarossa was given access to both Sinan, the greatest architect of the time, as well as the Nakkaşhane (imperial painters’ workshop) which provided designs for the tiles. The baths were adjacent to the mansions of palace dignitaries as well as easily accessible from nearby main roads, making it an easy source of money to be provided to Barbarossa’s charitable foundations elsewhere in the city (ibid, pp. 181-4). Sinan himself was a pioneer in including tiles within the overall architectural scheme of buildings, as seen in the Çinili Hamam, and may even have been in charge of the Iznik ceramic industry in this period [Necipoğlu 1990, pp. 154-5].Originally named after its patron or his titles as Admiral, the name by which the hamam is now known derives from the extensive tilework (‘Çinili’ means ‘tiled’), which distinguished it from other baths of the period which lacked extensive tile decoration. Such was the impression made by the tiles that one of the leading Ottoman poets of the day praised them on the occasion of the Hamam’s opening, suggesting that they had overcome even the ‘beautiful ones of China’. Although it was considered one of the preeminent baths of Istanbul during the 16th and 17th century, the Çinili Hamam was damaged by fires during the 18th century and finally destroyed by fire in 1833, passing through multiple hands thereafter (see opp. cit,  2023, pp. 82-91). After an extensive process of restoration, the hamam has now reopened, along with a small museum including both archaeological finds and the tile fragments found under the plaster. In its new state, it truly reflects the sentiment of the poetry found on some of the surviving tiles:“The area of the bath is like Paradise/Although its foundations are made of clay and bricks” (see opp. cit, p. 43]. 

Islamic & Indian Art

Sale Date(s)
Venue Address
22 Connaught St
London
W2 2AF
United Kingdom

Purchase collections for Islamic & Indian Art (Sale 850)

Purchases will be availble for collection from our London Venue at 22 Connaught St, London, W2 2AF until Wednesday 25th June.  After that they will be divided as below.  

Contact london@lyonandturnbull.com / calll 0207 930 9115 to book an appointment.  

Click here to find out more about suggested carriers

----

COLLECTIONS & STORAGE OF PURCHASED LOTS FOR INTERNATIONAL BUYERS & UK (OUTSIDE SCOTLAND) BUYERS

STORAGE: Items will be stored at 22 Connaught Street, until Wednesday 25th June at 5pm.Thereafter we will store items at Stephen Morris Shipping Ltd., 15 Ockham Drive, Greenford Park, Greenford, UB6 0FD.
Telephone +44(0)20 8832 2222. Items will be available to collect from 9am on Friday 27th June.

Please ensure payment has been made prior to collection. This can be done online, bank transfer or in person at our London office - details will be shown on your invoice also. Please note we are unable to accept cash or payments over the phone.

COST: Please note from Friday 27th June you will be charged by our storage partners.
Insurance 0.25% (all items)
Smalls (paintings and objects) - £2.50 admin fee then £1.00 per day. 
Furniture pieces - £5.50 admin fee then £2.50 per day.

FOR SCOTTISH BUYERS

STORAGE: Items will be stored at 22 Connaught Street, until Wednesday 25th June at 5pm.

Thereafter items will be transported to our Edinburgh saleroom and will be available to collect by appointment from 11th July.

All collections will be by appointment only (this applies to both carriers and personal collections).
CALL 0131 557 8844
EMAIL info@lyonandturnbull.com

Important Information

A £6,500 spend limit has been applied to this auction. Bidders intending on spending above this amount will need to provide photo identification to have the spend limit removed. To help manage this, you will be asked to confirm your projected spend as part of the auction registration process. You may receive a request to provide photo ID. We ask that you provide this at your earliest convenience on request, to ensure you are free to bid above the £6,500 spend limit on sale day . Please note it is Lyon and Turnbull’s discretion to ask for identification – you will be also asked to provide this if you have no bidding history.

----

BUYER'S PREMIUM

The buyer shall pay the hammer price together with a premium, at the following rate, thereon.

26% up to £20,000
25% from £20,001 to £500,000
20% thereafter

VAT will be charged on the premium at the rate imposed by law (see our Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue).

ADDITIONAL VAT

† VAT at the standard rate payable on the hammer price
‡ Reduced rate of 5% import VAT payable on the hammer price
[Ω] Standard rate of import VAT on the hammer price

Lots affixed with ‡ or [Ω] symbols may be subject to further regulations upon export /import, please see Conditions of Sale for Buyers Section D.2.

No VAT is payable on the hammer price or premium for books bought at auction

REGISTRATION

All potential buyers must register prior to placing a bid. Paddle registration must be completed in advance of the sale day. Please note that all first-time, and those returning after an extended period, bidders at Lyon & Turnbull will be asked to supply the following documents in order to facilitate registration:1 – Government issued photo ID (Passport/Driving licence)2 – Proof of address (utility bill/bank statement).

By registering for the sale, the buyer acknowledges that he or she has read, understood and accepted our Conditions of Sale.

REMOVAL OF PURCHASES

Responsibility for packing, shipping and insurance shall be exclusively that of the purchaser. See Collections & Storage section for more info specific to this particular auction.

COLLECTIONS & STORAGE OF PURCHASED LOTS FOR INTERNATIONAL BUYERS & UK (OUTSIDE SCOTLAND) BUYERS

STORAGE: Items will be stored at 22 Connaught Street, until Wednesday 25th June at 5pm.Thereafter we will store items at Stephen Morris Shipping Ltd., 15 Ockham Drive, Greenford Park, Greenford, UB6 0FD.  

Telephone +44(0)20 8832 2222. Items will be available to collect from 9am on Friday 27th June.

Please ensure payment has been made prior to collection. This can be done online, bank transfer or in person at our London office - details will be shown on your invoice also. Please note we are unable to accept cash or payments over the phone.

COST: Please note from Friday 27th June you will be charged by our storage partners.

Insurance 0.25% (all items)
Smalls (paintings and objects) - £2.50 admin fee then £1.00 per day.  
Furniture pieces - £5.50 admin fee then £2.50 per day.

FOR SCOTTISH BUYERS

STORAGE: Items will be stored at 22 Connaught Street, until Wednesday 25th June at 5pm.

Thereafter items will be transported to our Edinburgh saleroom and will be available to collect by appointment from 11th July.  

All collections will be by appointment only (this applies to both carriers and personal collections).

CALL 0131 557 8844
EMAIL info@lyonandturnbull.com

CATALOGUE DESCRIPTIONS

All item descriptions, dimensions and estimates are provided for guidance only. It is the buyer’s responsibility to inspect all lots prior to bidding to ensure that the condition is to their satisfaction. Our specialists will be happy to prepare condition reports and additional images. These are for guidance only and all lots are sold ‘as found’, as per our Conditions of Sale.

IMPORT/EXPORT

Prospective buyers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to; rosewood, rhino horn, ivory, coral and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective buyers should familiarise themselves with all relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import lots to another country. It is the buyer’s sole responsibility to obtain any relevant export or import licence. The denial of any licence or any delay in obtaining licences shall neither justify the recession of any sale nor any delay in making full payment for the lot.

ENDANGERED SPECIES

Please be aware that lots marked with the symbol Y contain material which may be subject to CITES regulations when exporting outside Great Britain. For more information visit https://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/imports-exports/cites

EXPORT OF IRANIAN WORKS

Iranian origin ‘informational materials’ (including fine art by recognised artists and books and manuscripts) may be imported into the United States and purchased by US persons, but Iranian origin ‘works of conventional craftsmanship’ (works that are not by a recognised artist and/or that have a function) may not. If you are a US person, you are responsible for checking that you do not bid on prohibited Iranian origin property. US persons include US citizens and US permanent residents (‘greencard holders’) wherever these individuals are located, US entities and any other persons temporarily resident or located in the US.

Terms & Conditions

UK - CONDITIONS OF SALE FOR BUYERS

These Conditions of Sale and the Saleroom Notices as well as specific Catalogue terms, set out the terms on which we offer the Lots listed in this Catalogue for sale. By registering to bid and/or by bidding at auction You agree to these terms, we recommend that You read them carefully before doing so. You will find a list of definitions and a glossary at the end providing explanations for the meanings of the words and expressions used.

Special terms may be used in Catalogue descriptions of particular classes of items (Books, Jewellery, Paintings, Guns, Firearms, etc.) in which case the descriptions must be interpreted in accordance with any glossary appearing in the Catalogue. These notices and terms will also form part of our terms and conditions of sales.

In these Conditions the words “Us”, “Our”, “We” etc. refers to Lyon & Turnbull Ltd, the singular includes the plural and vice versa as appropriate. “You”, “Your” means the Buyer.

Lyon & Turnbull Ltd. acts as agent for the Seller. On occasion where Lyon & Turnbull Ltd. own a lot in part or full the property will be identified in the catalogue with the symbol (

See Full Terms And Conditions