A chanfron of powerful sculptural form is one of the Ottoman stars in the October 2025 sale at Sotheby’s. Made of steel, it is from the late 16th or early 17th century and closely resembles a chanfron made for the grand vizier Murad Pasha (1520-1611), now held by the Louvre.
Lot 239, a striking Iznik cobalt blue-and-white Iznik tazza (footed bowl), circa 1580, exemplifies the enduring influence of Chinese porcelain in Ottoman design. The estimate id £50,000–£70,000.
Just the thing for the dining table, porcelain figures such as this pensive 19th-century seated Sultan were a witty addition to the table decoration at a recent Divan Club dinner in Istanbul (Lot 256, est. £4,000–£6,000)
This pair, Lot 255, est £5,000–£7,000), also 19th-century, is attributed to the celebrated Sèvres porcelain painter Jacob Petit (1797–1868).
View the catalogue here
On Sunday, October 26, at 2.30, there willl be a talk by Claude Piening. in conversation with John Scott, editor of Cornucopia, on the publication of Painters of the Ottoman World: Artists from the the Ömer Koç Collection. Subscribers are welcome.
