Monumental Syrian Damascene Mother-of-Pearl Inlaid Pediment Mirror With Pierced Cresting

Details

Description

A tall and imposing Damascus wall mirror, the deep walnut frame profusely inlaid with tessellated mother-of-pearl, sea shell, engraved bone … Read more A tall and imposing Damascus wall mirror, the deep walnut frame profusely inlaid with tessellated mother-of-pearl, sea shell, engraved bone and silver thread, surmounted by an elaborately pierced and scrolled cresting centred by a foliate finial.
A statement mirror of grand proportions in the Damascene tradition, rising well over two metres in height. The rectangular bevelled mirror plate is contained within a deep cushioned walnut frame entirely sheathed in tessellated mother-of-pearl and iridescent sea shell, the shell laid in close-set bands of triangles, lozenges and chevrons and bordered with fine silver thread and engraved bone stringing against a dark ground — the characteristic Syrian micro-mosaic that catches and scatters light across the whole surface.

The mirror is crowned by a tall, openwork pediment of carved and pierced walnut, its scrolling arabesques and split-palmettes inlaid en suite in mother-of-pearl, shell, bone and silver wire, ascending to a central foliate crest. The lower frame extends into a conforming pierced apron, giving the piece its distinctive architectural silhouette — a portal-like frame recalling the cusped mihrab arch of Damascus interiors. The deep, hand-fitted shellwork and the ambition of the pierced cresting place this among the more theatrical examples of Syrian inlaid mirror-making.
— THE HOUSE —
From The Orient Gates: four generations of the Harb family, Damascene artisans and antique dealers since the 1870s, heirs of the painter Abou Sobhi Al-Tinawi (Muhammad Harb). Every piece is examined, restored and documented in our family ateliers. A certificate of authenticity accompanies every piece.
— DETAILS —
Origin: Syria (Damascus)
Period: 20th century
Materials: Walnut, Mother-of-Pearl, Sea Shell, Silver Thread, Bone
Dimensions: H 215 CM | L 110 CM | W 5 CM • H 85 IN | L 43 IN | W 2 IN See less