Object Description
This exquisite ruby glass decanter was crafted in the late 19th Century in Bohemia, a historic region which was famous for its glassware. Antique Bohemian glass is today considered highly collectable because of its high-quality craftsmanship and decoration. This piece was made in Bohemia but intended for the Persian market.
The decanter is of typical form, with an ovoid body topped by a panelled ring-knopped neck and faceted mouth. The decanter is crowned by a panelled stopper with a mushroom-shaped knop and a conical tip. The decanter is crafted from red ruby glass and is finely decorated with colourful enamel flower designs, raised beads which imitate jewels, gilt serpentine patterns and cross-hatched medallions. The piece also features a portrait of Naser al-Din Shah, the Qajar king of Persia (1848-1896) on its front and a depiction of a lion on its reverse.