Unusual shape, old - Berber, Algeria/Morocco

Any ideas on this please? Terracotta, white slip, surface decorated. 5" high







Thanks

In Ancient Greek Geometric style.
http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/a-greek-pottery-tankard-late-geometric-period-5747527-details.aspx
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Terracotta_Kylix_from_Cyprus,_late_Geometric_Period,_HAA.JPG

Well I never

looks like a morrocan pot I've got

Do you have a photo Tenpot? Anything that'll help identification

Seen a few of these style pots over the last few years. There is quite a demand for north African and Persian ceramics In Europe. This is likely to be a modern version aged to suggest a period piece. Most 600+ year old pots I have handled from the region have museum restoration and that opens up a can of worms due to the troubles some of these countries have had and the looting of museums by various factions. It is why some auction houses want a proven family history dating back before the 1980's before they handle some of these older looking items but as England and London is the antiquities trading capital of the world there is a lot out there.

Very interesting and thanks Mordeep. What would 'modern version' mean date wise? Any idea?

lindylou08 wrote:Very interesting and thanks Mordeep. What would 'modern version' mean date wise? Any idea?

Modern can be a bit confusing when relating to these ceramics. The very very new ones are thrown, painted and then aged by putting in the ground for a few weeks or if they are feeling lazy just dusted with sand. Still made in the same part of the world but now for tourists not locals. A couple of years back I came across a stall at Lincoln with about a 100 sanded pots in various trays for sale. They are decorative but have no signs of wear and the painting looks very bright in places.

Then you have the 100+ year pots that were plain and recently gained decoration. Those are more difficult to spot but again the wear to the decoration is the thing to look for.

Of course then you have the much older ones produced anytime up to about a thousand years ago, those are often grave goods and have been dug up. Hence the sand/dirt. But nearly all of those are damaged and clearly restored at some point (its called museum restoration and not designed to hide the damage).

My guess would be yours was produced in the last 20 years by how bright that base is and sold as a replica. But I could be very wrong. Check out a company called timeline auctions. You should be able to look through some old lots to get an attribute and date if it is period. I used to use them for reference when ever I picked up items like yours.

Intriguing. Wonder how it came to be owned by Mary Wondrausch. Comparing it to her own work and the contents of her home at Brickfields which sang with colour

this is the pot a morracan guy brought over some years ago not an old one , sorry its a bit dark real colour like the other pot

Thanks for that Tenpot, very similar. Except for the face!! I think the faded part of my pot may be as a result of the position that Mary displayed it in her house. Probably been sitting in a window for years! Decoration is surface painted.