Ancient/modern hieroglyph or language I don't know???

this is a brass bowl shaped object at LEAST 40ish years old maybe hundreds more? It's a item that comes from my Grandpa to me, he who bought it in I was told Iran in the 1970's the year of/before the Shah was ousted. He got it while he worked for the Shah of the country Iran & was a US Army Full Colonel. It appears to depict Chinese men in robes and has this hieroglyph or script on the bottom... please identify the script and translate if possible and make a determination of the country of original manufacture. Any idea I find it isn't really, really old? Silk Road times?? Thank you. I have other items to post check back tomorrow or next week

 

The details you show look Chinese to me. The script is usually just called "archaic". I don't think anyone bothers to translate it. From those details, it looks new-ish to me - touristy. But wait to hear what others say. Views of the whole thing, front and back, might help.

 

He was deep in the mountains away from any modern contact... they did not even have wheels on their wagons. There was roman acqueduct system of water supply. It was not anywhere tourists probably have ever stepped foot

 

It would have had to be transported there from china at latest in the 1960s because he bought it along with 100 plus items all of which are authentic and not reproduction. I should post some of them. I am about to now

 

Here are 3 items the bottom one is a lunch box that has 3 compartments, may still have food in it from Iran. It's weird opening it I won't do it now but it has a U shaped rail on both sides going up and down. Others are brass/ copper whatever you call its. All Iranian

 

Welcome!
Please always enlarge your photos as you did at first.
You can fix them in edit.
You can load up to 10 per post.

 

The image is a Hebrew inscribed plate of the 12 tribes of Israel. Only two were made. It is from the Desert of Iran I am told am delighted the man made two, one to sell and one to keep for himself , it passed through one person between the maker and my grandfather(he wasnt going to trek through a desert and haul a 24 pound plate back... probably tin composition from what I remember

 

Please enlarge all always.

 

Please see pictures! This is a good piece genuinely hand made and from Persia/Iran

 

I'm sorry I have tried on my phone, I had to enlarge just to get them to be under 1mb. And I can't figure out which feature on this photo edit is enlarge, (on this website)

 

I don't know what to do about phone sizing. Someone eise will be along to help.
Site quiets down now.
I always move my photos to my computer first.

 

Do you have any info about possible value of an authentic tin made in Iran c.1960's-70's or earlier... 12 tribes of Israel hangable plate 1of2 made... it cost him a couple hundred dollars and I expect craftsmanship put in well over 100 hours to make it. Located in USA so probable it's the only one in USA. Pictures above

 

I do not. You'll have to wait for others.
And it's best that you reply to comments using the reply button that is at the lower right of each comment.
Not the one at the bottom of the page.
At some point on site you'll see why this is confusing.

 

I thank you for the advice. I already see why that's useful. Thanks again & i have a few dozen more items to post: my grandpa moved from Maine to Florida and left all of the large antiques he brought with him at a halfway point (with us) and I am taking notes on what we have. So many things! There's more to Be brought here in the future when I fly to Maine too

 

As you post them try to put them in the appropriate forum as this is best.
You may already be doing this but I'm on my phone right now so this is unknown.
If you are unsure then general discussion can work or even the Finds thread.

 

Yeah I put an Austrian Vase in the vase category and promptly was notified of its pattern age and value (I paid $40 its listed for right over 250$+34$ shipping from Austria approximately) a good buy I'd say. I will continue to post appropriately and most will probably be general category. thanks

 

If it's only one of two ever made , there is no possible way to determine a fair market value .......just not gonna happen !
You have to put a number on it.....that you feel it deserves.....& someday it will sell at what someone is willing to pay for it !

That said.....it's so Jewish..so Israeli.....I for one can not believe it came out of Iran.

 

The Chinese bowl looks late 19th-early 20th century, and frankly could have been bought anywhere. The mark looks like an imperial seal, but this item wasn't produced in an imperial workshop.
So yes, the period of the Silk Road. An extremely long period, which has never really stopped. Most of it is not an actual road, but a trade network. Wars always shut down parts of it temporarily, and it did experience competition from shipping after the Suez canal was opened. It is currently being reorganised by China and several Central Asian countries for the benefit of modern trade.

There are still Jewish communities in non-Israeli parts of the Middle East, even in Iran, but I agree this looks very Israeli. A tourist item, with that latin script alongside the Hebrew.
Persian Jews also moved to Israel, and brought their very distinctive Persian Jewish style with them. The rose motif at the bottom of the central medallion could be Persian-inspired, so there is a slight possibility that this was made by a Persian Jew in Israel.
Some people in the Middle East are very good at enhancing or making up stories to make a living, even more so than in the West. They quickly know what degree of exotism or exclusivity a Western buyer is looking for. The stories are nice, but say very little about the item.