A 1,000-year-old carved rock crystal ewer, one of only seven known surviving examples, will be offered for auction next month at Christie's Islamic art sale and is expected to fetch over 3 million pounds ($5.3 million).
The auctioneer said the ewer was made for the court of the Fatimid rulers of Cairo in the late 10th or early 11th century, and has been embellished in enameled gold mounts made in 1854 by a French silversmith. You can read more about this ewer here.
This ewer is from the 7th century, Iran or Iraq and resides at the New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art. I wonder what this one is worth? It's older than the 5.3 mil one.
For those who are not familiar with the term ewer, like myself until I Googled it this morning, here is a little synopsis;
An ewer is a type of pitcher with a flared base, a stout handle, and a decorative spout. Ewers have been manufactured around the world for thousands of years, and many fine examples of ancient ewers can be seen on display in museums. In the modern world, ewers are primarily used for ornamental purposes, although in some regions of the world, they are still used to hold and transport water.
The design of an ewer is designed to facilitate the transport of water and other liquids with minimal spilling. Some ewers can also be sealed, a trait which was utilized historically during long journeys to transport liquids like olive oil, wine, and water. Many historical ewers got quite large, holding a high volume of liquid; it is also possible to find smaller ewers designed for use at the table or in the bedroom.
I think they should serve beer in a ewer, instead of the modern day pitcher. It would keep the contents of the pitcher from sloshing out on the floor, on your feet, on the table, etc...
Next pizza party I'm ordering a ewer of beer.
