Sherbet Pitcher with Detachable Lid

The pear-shaped body of this pitcher rests on a flat base; a bulbous spout terminates in a ringed opening, and the applied, faceted handle curves from neck to base. The conical lid terminates in a dome-shaped finial. The decoration consists of painted ornament in gold and silver in the shape of crescent, star, and sun motifs. Stamped motifs include small flowers, herring-bone bands, and small leaves with a tiny central knop. The maker’s stamp appears within a sun burst on two sides of the body, and may probably be read as "al-Hamdi."