A LARGE ENGRAVED TINNED COPPER SPOUTED BASIN WITH THE MAMLUK PEN CASE BLAZON Egypt or Syria, early 16th century Of typical deep rounded shape with slightly tapering walls, resting on a plain circular base, rising to a gently everted, reinforced rim with a protruding, flattened beak-like spout on one side, the exterior profusely engraved with typical Mamluk metalwork decorative motifs laid out in overlapping horizontal registers, including roundels filled with Y-shaped gridwork intertwined with oval cartouches in-filled with alternating epigraphic inscriptions on cross-hatched grounds and scrolling vegetal meanderings, encased within two knotwork bands, underneath the spout a drop-shaped cartouche in-filled with the Mamluk blazon of pen case reserved for the Secretary of State, 28cm diam. and 13cm high.

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