Lot 058 AN IMPORTANT ROYAL IMPERIAL EMERALD SEAL RING OF SULTAN ABU SAʿID MIRZA ILKHANID PERSIA, LATE 14TH – EARLY 15TH CENTURY

Description

AN IMPORTANT ROYAL IMPERIAL EMERALD SEAL RING OF SULTAN ABU SAʿID MIRZA
ILKHANID PERSIA, LATE 14TH – EARLY 15TH CENTURY
伊儿汗国 苏丹阿布·赛义德·米尔扎皇家祖母绿玺戒
MEASUREMENTS & SPECIFICATIONS
• Seal Stone: Natural Emerald (Approx. 35.00 carats)
• Dimensions: Approx. 18.5 x 18.2 mm
• Script: Early Arabic Kufic Intaglio
• Mount: Silver-Platinum Alloy, handcrafted by Master Amiri (circa 1995)
ESTIMATE
USD 25,000 — 45,000
(HKD 195,000 — 350,000)
DESCRIPTION
This exceedingly rare royal imperial seal ring features a natural emerald stone of approximately 35 carats, once belonging to Sultan Abu Saʿid Mirza, the last effective sovereign of the Ilkhanid Empire. The seal is masterfully executed in deep intaglio hand-carving, featuring a dignified early Arabic Kufic script. The inscription is meticulously arranged in a three-tier hierarchical layout, embodying the medieval Islamic political philosophy of “Divine Sovereignty”:
• Top Field: al-Sultan (The Sultan) – Establishing the sovereign title.
• Central Field: al-mulk lillah (Sovereignty belongs to God) – Highlighting divine authority as the ultimate source of power.
• Lower Field: Abu Saʿid – The personal regnal name of the monarch.
Serving as a primary instrument of administrative power, this seal was used to authenticate royal decrees (Farman). It stands as a definitive testament to the sophisticated fusion of Mongol-Persian administrative culture and Islamic calligraphic art.
描述
此枚极为罕见的皇家玺戒，属伊儿汗国（Ilkhanid）末代统治者苏丹阿布·赛义德·米尔扎（Sultan Abu Saʿid Mirza）所有。玺石由重约 35克拉的天然祖母绿精雕而成，质地深邃，气韵尊贵。
玺印采用深手工阴刻工艺，书以庄重的早期阿拉伯库法体（Kufic）。铭文布局呈严谨的三层阶梯状分布，展现了中世纪伊斯兰王权中“君权神授”的政治哲学：
• 顶层： al-Sultan（苏丹）—— 确立统治者封号。
• 中层： al-mulk lillah（主权归于真主）—— 强调神性权力的至高无上。
• 底层： Abu Saʿid（阿布·赛义德）—— 统治者名讳。
此玺不仅是签署皇家法令（Farman）的权力象征，更是蒙古帝国治下波斯行政文化与伊斯兰书法艺术高度融合的巅峰实证。
HISTORICAL NOTE
Sultan Abu Saʿid (r. 1316–1335) was the final monarch of the Ilkhanid dynasty to wield actual governing authority. His reign witnessed a significant renaissance of Persian court culture and the arts. The inscription “al-mulk lillah” is a quintessential characteristic of royal objects from this era, intended to proclaim the divine legitimacy of his rule. Unlike later Timurid versions, the Kufic style here possesses the robust, angular carving characteristics of earlier Central Asian traditions. Given that emeralds are exceptionally rare as a medium for royal seals (which more commonly utilized spinel or lapis lazuli), this ring represents a museum-grade acquisition.
苏丹阿布·赛义德（1316–1335年在位）是伊儿汗国最后一位拥有实权的汗王，其统治时期是波斯宫廷文化复兴的黄金时代。铭文“al-mulk lillah”（主权归于真主）旨在动荡时期宣誓统治权的神圣合法性。相较于后世帖木儿王朝风格，此玺的库法体线条更为硬朗劲挺，保留了早期中亚雕琢的典型特征。由于祖母绿材质在皇家印玺中极度稀缺，此拍品在历史深度与艺术稀缺性上均属顶级馆藏级别。
PROVENANCE
• Formerly held in an Important Private European Collection.
• Subsequently remounted in a custom Silver-Platinum alloy by the master metalsmith Amiri (circa 1995).
• 欧洲重要私人收藏，后经由金属工艺大师阿米里重新镶嵌（约1995年）。
CONDITION REPORT
• The emerald seal stone exhibits a natural patina and slight historical surface wear consistent with its age. The intaglio lines remain sharp and legible. The modern mount is in excellent condition.
• 玺石表面带有自然包浆及轻微历史磨损，阴刻线条清晰，结构完整。现代戒托工艺精湛，品相极佳。