Lot 41
AN INTACT IZNIK POTTERY BORDER TILE
TURKEY, LAST QUARTER OF THE 16th CENTURY
£8,190
Auction: Islamic Art | Lots 1 to 66 | 12 June at 10am
Description
of square form, underglaze decoration in bole red, blue, turquoise and black outline on a white ground comprising spiralling arabesque decoration, framed
Dimensions
19cm x 17cm (7 ½in x 6 5/8in)
Provenance
Gifted to Michael Archer (1936-2022) by Arthur Lane’s widow in circa mid-1960s.
Thence by descent.
Michael Archer
Like his father, William Archer, before him, Michael enriched the experience and collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) through his long-term dedication and expertise. Beginning as Assistant Keeper of Ceramics, he was successively Deputy Keeper and Acting Keeper before being appointed Senior Research Curator. Sociable, witty and engaging, Archer was a popular character who enhanced the museum’s knowledge through his research on stained glass, pottery and tin-glazed earthenware about which he published extensively and became an internationally respected authority.
A particular area of Archer’s expertise was English glass of the 17th and 18th centuries, typified by studies of Richard Butler, Abraham van Linge and William Price. He was also an expert in tin-glazed earthenware known as English Delftware. His 1997 catalogue of the prestigious V&A collection, which he helped to build, is an essential reference work. Archer’s expertise was widely acknowledged amongst academics and practitioners. He was appointed Honorary Vice-President of the British Society of Master Glass Painters and a Trustee of the Ely Stained Glass Museum and York Glaziers Trust. He also the chaired both the Canterbury Cathedral Fabric Advisory Committee and the Stained Glass Conservation Committee of the Council for the Care of Churches. Archer enjoyed a long-distinguished career which was fittingly recognised with an OBE in the same way that his parents, William and Mildred Archer, were before him.
Within this sale there are three ceramic items from Archer’s personal collection. Coming from distinct cultural traditions the Iznik, Abbasid and Safavid artefacts reflect Archer’s enthusiasm for ceramics and knowledge of the genre. This tile was gifted by Arthur Lane's widow to Archer in recognition of the friendship between his father and her husband, who were colleagues together at the V&A for many years.
