A rare and historically significant 14th-century mosque lamp from Egypt, known as the Sarghitmish lamp, achieved a record-breaking sale price of £5,130,400 at Bonhams’ Islamic and Indian Art Sale. This sale, driven by vigorous bidding both in the room and over the phone, has set a new high for the most expensive glass object ever sold at auction. The lamp, initially estimated to fetch between £600,000 and £1,000,000, was consigned by a descendant of Nubar Pasha, Egypt’s first Prime Minister, and had been in the family’s possession for over a century. Remarkably, the family had used this extraordinary piece as a vase for dried flowers, unaware of its immense value and significance.
Nima Sagharchi, Bonhams’ Group Head of Middle Eastern, Islamic, and South Asian Art, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “We are absolutely thrilled with this outcome. The Sarghitmish lamp is an extraordinary example of artistic and technical mastery. Not only is it exceptionally rare, but it also boasts a distinguished exhibition history, having been displayed in some of Paris’ most renowned museums.”
Oliver White, Bonhams’ Head of Islamic and Indian Art, provided additional context, noting, “From the mid-1800s, this lamp was part of the esteemed collection of Charles Schefer, a prominent French collector. In 1906, it became part of the collection of Boghos Nubar Pasha, an Armenian aristocrat and the son of Egypt’s first Prime Minister. The lamp has been passed down through his family ever since. Its rarity, coupled with this remarkable provenance, renders it one of the most significant pieces of Islamic glassware ever presented at auction.”
A Glorious Example of Medieval Glass Artistry
Mosque lamps are heralded as some of the most sophisticated examples of medieval glassware globally. The Mamluk court, particularly in the 13th and 14th centuries, was almost exclusively responsible for the simultaneous gilding and enameling techniques used in their creation. These lamps were intended for both decoration and illumination in mosques, with the act of lighting a mosque considered a religious donation. Consequently, mosque lamps were often commissioned by sultans and dignitaries. This particular lamp was ordered by the Mamluk Emir Sarghitmish, a prominent figure during the reign of Sultan al Nasir-Hasan. The lamp bears both Sarghitmish’s and the Sultan’s names, as well as Sarghitmish’s blazon. It was likely hung in the Madrasa of Sarghitmish, a notable mosque that still stands today in Cairo’s medieval quarter. In 1907, Yacoub Artin Pasha, a scholar, lauded the lamp’s beauty, declaring, “This lamp, in its entirety, rivals the most beautiful enamelled glass lamps I have encountered and studied.”
In Bonhams Magazine, Professor Robert Hillenbrand elaborates, “Each lamp was suspended by chains from the roof or tie-beams in places of worship, regardless of the building type. Its function was multifaceted – practical, religious, and political. In the dimly lit interiors of such structures, these lamps were essential; they held wicks suspended in glass oil containers, casting pools of shifting yellow light amidst the darkness. The light was both emitted and reflected, and as observers moved, the distinct colors of the lamp – blue, gold, black – would come into focus one after another as they caught the light.”
A Symbol of Piety and Political Influence
The Sarghitmish lamp is inscribed with a verse from Surah al-Nur (Light) from the Qur’an, emphasizing that mosque lamps symbolized the divine light of Allah. Their production was seen as a significant act of religious patronage by wealthy and powerful individuals. It was common practice for medieval enamelled lamps to feature Qur’anic inscriptions in their upper sections. Among the popular texts was the verse, “God is the Light of the heavens and the earth, the likeness of His Light is as a niche wherein is a lamp.” The Sarghitmish lamp includes an extended portion of this verse, with densely packed letters arranged in three tiers. Patrons like Sarghitmish also maximized the publicity potential of the objects they commissioned. The lamps, set in rows, prominently displayed the name and rank of Emir Sarghitmish, reinforced by his emblem and official titles, ending with the name of the ruling Sultan: “His Honourable and High Excellency our Lord, the Royal, the Well-Served, the Swordsman, Sarghitmish, Chief of a Corps of Mamluks of al-Malik al-Nasir.” These titles were inscribed closer to the viewer and were larger in scale than the Qur’anic inscription. The lower inscription features Sarghitmish’s emblem, a red napkin (buqja) against a white field, signifying his role as Master of the Robes (jamdar). Thus, his madrasa served as a stage for self-promotion in a powerful blend of piety and political influence.
Extensively Published and Exhibited
The Mamluk enamelled glass mosque lamp stands as one of the largest, most extensively published, and widely exhibited examples of its kind. Its exhibition history includes prominent displays in three of Paris’ major museums in the 19th century: The Musée Guimet in 1869, The Musée des Arts Décoratifs at the Louvre in 1903, and the Palais du Trocadéro in 1878. The lamp has also featured in at least ten major publications dating back to 1869, including an illustration in the 1907 Bulletin de L’institut Egyptien, where it received extensive commentary from Yacoub Artin Pasha, a notable Egyptian Armenian scholar.
This historic sale at Bonhams not only underscores the significance of the Sarghitmish lamp but also highlights the enduring allure and value of Islamic glass art in the world of fine arts and antiques.
