Golfe Persique: Dallah En Cuivre Finement Ciselé

Beautiful and large model of Dallah (دلة in Arabic), in finely chiseled copper. Persian Gulf, probably Iran; in the second half of the 19th century. Traces of gilding.

This Dallah, like all the other models, has a bulbous body narrowing at the waist to flare out towards the top. The lid is topped with a brass fretel. The most distinctive feature to recognize a Dallah is its long crescent-shaped spout and its sinuous handle. Sublime attachment of the handle to the body and the lid. Pivot system of the lid still fully functional.

The model presented here stands out from other Dallah in circulation by the quality and quantity of these chisels. From the base to the lid, including the handle and the spout, nothing has been left behind. We can observe a total of four friezes. These friezes are all decorated with traditional, geometric or plant shapes. Small birds can also be observed on the upper frieze (see photo). 
Its size (40cm) and its weight (2.4kg), also make this Dallah a prestigious model.

Two defects to note: a small hole under the lower frieze, the slightly split spout.

A Dallah is a traditional Arab coffee pot used to prepare and serve coffee in the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf. Due to its intimate association with the coffee ritual, the dallah is a strong identity object for the Arab and Gulf populations, who make it the allegory of their tradition of hospitality. The origins of the Dallah are not known with certainty. It is likely that it appeared during the 16th century when coffee spread in the Ottoman Empire, although its very specific shape may not appear until the middle of the 17th century. In any case, the dallah is later than the Turkish cezve and even more so than the Ethiopian jebena. The Dallah is inseparable from Arab coffee. This is part of the tradition of hospitality of the Arab and Gulf populations, although it is also associated with festive events such as weddings. It is the first drink served to guests, who are greeted with the suggestion "come in for a coffee", regardless of the other dishes and drinks offered. Any breach of the ritual attached to the serving of coffee, or any reluctance to offer it, can be perceived as a lack of respect towards the guest. The Dallah, closely associated with this moment, is therefore emblematic of the identity of the Arab and Gulf populations: it is proudly displayed in homes as a symbol of their hospitality. Arabic coffee and with it the Dallah has been recognized as intangible cultural heritage of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar since 2015.

More photos available on request, free shipping for mainland France.