Vintage Pair Inlaid Damascus Mother of Pearl Side Tables Mid 20th C
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This is a superb intricately inlaid pair of side tables decorated with mother of pearl from Damascus and dating from the mid 20th century.
The octagonally shaped tables featurs beautifully detailed inlaid mother of pearl parquetry in interlocking patterns all highlighted with black lacquer. The Mihrab shaped sides are raised on on plinth feet.
Add an exotic touch to your home with this amazing pair of tables.
Condition:
In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 61 x Width 42 x Depth 42
Dimensions in inches:
Height 2 feet, 0 inches x Width 1 foot, 4 inches x Depth 1 foot, 4 inches
The materials employed include, but are not limited to, local walnut wood, silver thread, mother of pearl, camel bone and finer decorative woods such as lemon, olive and Brazilian rosewood.
A pre-drawn pattern, consisting of either an organic plant or geometric theme, is glued onto a walnut wood base. Channels are carved out for silver thread to be hammered and glued into place. Segments of the pattern are individually chiselled and inlaid with mother of pearl. Further embellishment may be added in the form of chemically treated camel bone and softer decorative woods. The piece is then polished and coated with lacquer. The techniques employed vary in complexity depending on the object. A chair being crafted in this style would traditionally be upholstered with local silk brocade.
The mother of pearl (also known as nacre) used in the early days of the craft was sourced locally from the Euphrates River in Deir ez-Zor Governorate. It has a dull white lustre. As international trade increased, craftsmen shifted to seawater nacre imported from the Philippines, China and New Zealand. Seawater nacre has a superior lustre and colour variation, including white, green and black.
The techniques have traditionally been passed down from generation to generation. Artisans interested in learning the craft can be expected to undertake apprenticeships of no less than five years and can remain under the mentorship of a master craftsmen for up to fifteen years before completing works independently.
The Syrian conflict has had a heavy toll on the craft. Local sources believe the current number of craftsmen and workshops in operation to be less than twenty percent of its previous state. Working conditions for the craftsmen that remain are rendered even more difficult by international sanctions. Despite the difficulties, local support and international demand remained strong. Pieces are often shipped to Gulf Arab nations and Europe.
Historically, this craft has been associated with the aristocracy and affluent tradesmen of Arab society. Damascus is host to a number of palaces, courtyard homes and museums displaying countless antiques fashioned in this signature style. For more contemporary pieces, one can wander the streets of Old Damascus and visit one of the many furniture galleries exhibiting such items for sale.
Angelica Kauffman, RA (1741 - 1807)
was a Swiss-born Austrian Neoclassical painter who had a successful career in London and Rome. Though born as "Kauffmann", Kauffman is the preferred spelling of her name in English; it is the form she herself used most in signing her correspondence, documents and paintings.
While Kauffman produced many types of art, she identified herself primarily as a history painter, an unusual designation for a woman artist in the 18th century. History painting, was considered the most elite and lucrative category in academic painting during this time period. Under the direction of Sir Joshua Reynolds, the Royal Academy made a strong effort to promote history painting to a native audience who were more interested in commissioning and buying portraits and landscapes.
Despite the popularity that Kauffman enjoyed in British society and her success as an artist, she was disappointed by the relative apathy that the British had towards history painting. Ultimately she left Britain for the continent, where history painting was better established, held in higher esteem and patronized.
The works of Angelica Kauffman have retained their reputation. By 1911, rooms decorated with her work were still to be seen in various quarters. At Hampton Court was a portrait of the duchess of Brunswick; in the National Portrait Gallery, a self-portrait. There were other pictures by her at Paris, at Dresden, in the Hermitage at St Petersburg, in the Alte Pinakothek atMunich, in Kadriorg Palace, Tallinn (Estonia).
Satinwood
is a hard and durable wood with a satinlike sheen, much used in cabinetmaking, especially in marquetry. It comes from two tropical trees of the family Rutaceae (rue family). East Indian or Ceylon satinwood is the yellowish or dark-brown heartwood of Chloroxylon swietenia.
The lustrous, fine-grained, usually figured wood is used for furniture, cabinetwork, veneers, and backs of brushes. West Indian satinwood, sometimes called yellow wood, is considered superior. It is the golden yellow, lustrous, even-grained wood found in the Florida Keys and the West Indies.
It has long been valued for furniture. It is also used for musical instruments, veneers, and other purposes. Satinwood is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Sapindales, family Rutaceae.
Our reference: 09218
