Can somebody help me? Glazed small blue vase with flowers

Hi,

Does anyone know anything about this piece? It's in bad condition but I can't tell why. Because it's old or because it sits outside (bottom is not glazed so probably for outside).
It has flowers on all sides.

 

It's Middle Eastern and people usually call it Islamic, but I did a lot of research on this type of pottery years ago and it turns out it it is not made by Islamic people.
I've forgotten the details.

I have tons of info saved in files on an external hard drive but my computer is broken so I have nothing to hook it up to and get to my old files.

 

Middle eastern but not Islamic.. may it be Assyrian or Armenian by any chance?

 

I found some similar looking Persian styles. I looked for Persian glazed vase. these are also square with similar type of flowers

https://www.etsy.com/nl/listing/716893033/antique-persian-floral-pottery-bottle

https://www.catawiki.com/nl/l/10943739-perzische-vazen-uit-de-qajar-dynasty-3

 

I found it is called Qajar ceramics from the Persian Empire

 

Oh yes you're getting close now! Iran used to be Persia before conquered by Muslims.
I had found a website of a family who had been in this type of pottery for generations, I forget if they were Christian or Jewish, but they explained how their ancestors were forced under Islamic rule to make tiles for their most sacred churches or synagogues that were transformed into mosques.

Also some of the pottery that is still being made is buried in donkey dUng
for a certain amount of time to make it look aged dirty and old.

 

u mean dung............not dong ..........right ?

 

Oh my God! How embarrassing! I'm using Voice to Text dictation and didn't proofread before I posted! Eek!

 

Qajar is not a ceramic technique, it is the name of a Persian dynasty, 1796-1925. Yes, these were made during the Qajar dynasty, but yours dates from the last decade or so (of the Qajar period).
Persia/Iran is in the Middle East.
Since it isn't a religious item, and we don't even know the religion of the maker, we can't call it Islamic.

Persia comes from the Greek 'Persis', the name for the Pars region of Iran. The name was used in the West until 1935, when the last Shah requested the country be called by it's real name, Iran.
Iran is a very old, pre-Muslim name. Persia is also a pre-Muslim name, but a foreign one, and not as old as the name Iran.

 

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Thank you so much!
Do you know what these were used for during the Qajar dynasty?

 

They were made as souvenir vases. The tourist trade became important in Persia in the late 19th century. The Middle East and Egypt were also part of a 'Grand Tour', just like Europe.

 

I see. So these were like refrigerator magnets back then. How much do these cost now? I bought it in the Netherlands

 

Are you still in the Netherlands? In that case you can look on Marktplaats, there are usually some Qajar vases there. Otherwise you can check out ebay for (sold) prices.

 

Yes I live here, saw some on marktplaats but the prices are very much varying.

 

So do I.

You will get that everywhere.
It is best to compare the quality of painting, that is an indication of the period. Towards the end of the Qajar dynasty the quality of all Persian souvenirs got worse. The ceramics were still attractive, but the decoration wasn't nearly as detailed as earlier on, even sloppy at times. That is reflected in the value.

 

Mental note to self - never pick up any pottery that you think was made in the Middle East.