Antique gilt and enamelled ruby red glass decanter

Antique gilt and enamelled ruby red glass decanter
Bohemian, late 19th Century
Height 50cm, diameter 15cm
 
This exquisite ruby glass decanter was crafted in the late 19th Century in Bohemia, a historic region which was famous for its glassware. Antique Bohemian glass is today considered highly collectable because of its high-quality craftsmanship and decoration. This piece was made in Bohemia but intended for the Persian market. 
 
The decanter is of typical form, with an ovoid body topped by a panelled ring-knopped neck and faceted mouth. The decanter is crowned by a panelled stopper with a mushroom-shaped knop and a conical tip. The decanter is crafted from red ruby glass and is finely decorated with colourful enamel flower designs, raised beads which imitate jewels, gilt serpentine patterns and cross-hatched medallions. The piece also features a portrait of Naser al-Din Shah, the Qajar king of Persia (1848-1896) on its front and a depiction of a lion on its reverse.