Three Indo-Persian hookahs

Three Indo-Persian hookahs

Iran, late 19th century

Two with turquoise ceramic ovoid bodies, the 3rd with bronzed metal, set in gilded brass mounts, two with long stems. Worn and missing. H. 35 to 40 cm for the body, total H. 94 to 112 cm A narghile comprises between four and five different pieces. The body (kali) is the part filled with water. A central pipe (chi-lim or chilam) through which the smoke is released by the charcoal and tobacco in contact with the water. Finally, a pipe that is brought to the mouth. The most important part of a narghile is the body. Sometimes made of ceramic, sometimes of richly worked metal, glass or coconut, these pieces are extremely diverse in form and decoration, depending on the region in which they are produced. Provenance : Jean-Charles Tauzin Collection (1889-1957) Three Indo-Persian hookahs, Iran, late 19th century