Is this tea pot ancient or just for decoration?

[Riaoss]

I have this tea pot or kettle and I'm trying to figure out if it's from an ancient period or not. There are what seems to be Arabic scriptures written on it, but I can't really decipher what it says. There's also a knight(s) fighting on the kettle's body. My mother says it's related to Saladin, the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. Can someone confirm its origins?

 

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[Red-Coat]

It's a fairly typical 'arabic' coffee pot which could be from North Africa (Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria etc) or pretty much anywhere from the Middle East including Turkey. It's vintage or possibly approaching antique, but not ancient. The absence of patina gives it away as not very old. It's possible that the imagery is inspired by Saladin's exploits but it's certainly not from that era.

Pots like this were and still are are typically sold in the bazaars and souks of those countries, principally as tourist souvenirs for decorative purposes, although they may still be serviceable as functional items.

 

[outlaws15]

Good morning Red-Coat, well for me it's morning. When you mention the lack of patina as a sign of not being ancient, is it possible that the piece could have been maintained well over the years and would cause it not to show patina? I think about my folks silver and cleaning it on a regular basis.
Thanks
Rick

It's a fairly typical 'arabic' coffee pot which could be from North Africa (Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria etc) or pretty much anywhere from the Middle East including Turkey. It's vintage or possibly approaching antique, but not ancient. The absence of patina gives it away as not very old. It's possible that the imagery is inspired by Saladin's exploits but it's certainly not from that era.

Pots like this were and still are are typically sold in the bazaars and souks of those countries, principally as tourist souvenirs for decorative purposes, although they may still be serviceable as functional items.

 

[Red-Coat]

Good morning Red-Coat, well for me it's morning. When you mention the lack of patina as a sign of not being ancient, is it possible that the piece could have been maintained well over the years and would cause it not to show patina? I think about my folks silver and cleaning it on a regular basis.
Thanks
Rick

Good morning Rick... it's just gone noon here.

I really don't think so. The whole thing has a very even colouration and there's no sign of patination in the recessed areas of the design nor within the casting flaws. Those areas are impossible for anyone to polish in the same way that the main surfaces can be polished. As I said, it could conceivably be approaching antique, but no older. I'm still inclined to think it's no older than vintage. For clarification. on this side of the pond we generally regard "antique" as more than 100 years old and "vintage" as more than 50 years old.

 

[fyrffytr1]

That makes me past vintage and on my way to antique!

 

[Retired Sarge]

That makes me past vintage and on my way to antique!

Aren't most us in the Vintage range now.......?

 

[ARC]

Decoration.

 

[fyrffytr1]

Aren't most us in the Vintage range now.......?

I would say yes. But, my mind still thinks my body is in it's prime. In other words my mind keeps writing checks my butt can't cash!

 

[old digger]

I would say that your item could be between vintage and antique. I remember going with my dad in visiting the Taurg (Sahara tribesmen) in their tents they were always polite and would offer you some strong coffee and bread while you were visiting. They always would pour the heated coffee into one of those fancy serving pots. I do not recall drinking that really strong coffee, but my dad did drink coffee and I sure that he tried it. Some of the serving pots were also made of beaten silver and gold depending on how rich they were. Ibelieve your might be brass?