Ural (Sezai) Magnum “Moor” Bust Estate Block Meerschaum Pipe, Turkish Estates

Description

Ural was a meerschaum company in the 20th century, established by Turkey’s Deniz Ural. Ural had a number of master meerschaum carvers in its employ, including the legendary Fikri Baki. In this instance, we have a pipe carved by the late master Sezai.

The pipe itself is carved in the figure of the “Moor.” While far from “politically correct” in today’s climate, the Moor is a centuries-old archetype that one finds recurrent across Western art between the Middle Ages and the early 20th century. The Moor is typically an individual of African descent, though, as an archetype, his or her depiction varies from work to work, including in complexion, facial features, and personality traits. The most famous Moor, for example, is likely Shakespeare’s Othello, though one can also find them in the paintings of Velasquez and Rembrandt, the sketches of Durer, and in the decorative arts. The figure of the Moor in the arts would ultimately fall out of favor in more recent history due to the racial (and often racist) dimensions of its use.

Based on discussions with our Turkish colleagues, this Ural meerschaum is most likely a reproduction of a Vienna meerschaum from the 19th or early 20th century, in which Moorish busts were common. It is a complex piece to evaluate from the standpoints of both art and commerce, as it is most certainly an unpleasant caricature. As a historical artifact, however, one that reflects a quite interesting dynamic between Western racial politics and Turkish meerschaum carving (Turkish peoples were themselves considered among the “Moors” for much of European modernity), we considered it still worth passing on to a collector best equipped to appreciate it for what it is.

The condition is very good. Some slight charring at the back of the rim.

Details:

Length: 8.5″ / 215.9mm

Bowl Width: 0.84 / 21.33mm

Bowl Depth: 2.64″ / 67.05mm

Weight: 4.4oz / 126g