Arts of the Islamic World

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 295. A LARGE CARVED MOTHER-OF-PEARL AND WOOD CHEST WITH CALLIGRAPHIC IMPLEMENTS, PROBABLY JERUSALEM, 18TH/19TH CENTURY.

A LARGE CARVED MOTHER-OF-PEARL AND WOOD CHEST WITH CALLIGRAPHIC IMPLEMENTS, PROBABLY JERUSALEM, 18TH/19TH CENTURY

Restricted Species

Auction Closed

October 23, 04:16 PM GMT

Estimate

15,000 - 20,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

A LARGE CARVED MOTHER-OF-PEARL AND WOOD CHEST WITH CALLIGRAPHIC IMPLEMENTS, PROBABLY JERUSALEM, 18TH/19TH CENTURY

the wooden rectangular chest with curved edges, decorated with carved and engraved mother-of-pearl plaques fastened with metal pins, featuring roundels on the cover containing three mosques, spandrels and borders containing bird and foliate motifs, the front with two roundels featuring lions, with key-hole opening, brass handles on each side, the hinged lid revealing wooden interior with mirror, lower compartment with two drawers to each side supporting a tray with further inset lidded compartments and a curved tray for pens, drawers and compartments with later additions of ivory handles, calligraphic implements included in lot: a carved mother-of-pearl makta and finial, a scissor, four knives: two with tortoiseshell and coral handles, one with marine-ivory handle, the other with jade and coral handle

(8)

chest: 21.5 by 58 by 32.4cm.

This lot contains ivory and other restricted materials. Sotheby's recommends that buyers check with their own government regarding any importation requirements prior to placing a bid. For example, US regulations restrictor prohibits the import of certain items (including ivory) to protect wildlife conservation. Please note that Sotheby's will not assist buyers with CITES licence applications where a buyer elects to either collect or arrange their own shipping, nor will Sotheby's assist with the international movement of ivory by air, either as freight or through hand carry. Sotheby's shipping will only assist in shipping the lot to either domestic UK or EU destinations, where delivery is made by road transport. A buyer's inability to export or import these lots cannot justify a delay in payment or sale cancellation. Please note the elephant ivory in this lot is limited to the later handles of the interior drawers.

Mother of pearl, also known as nacre is an organic material produced by molluscs as an inner shell layer. It is also the outer coat of pearls. Mother of pearl carving was traditionally used in Bethlehem, and it is said that it was brought by the Franciscan Friars from Italy in the fifteenth century. The importance of Bethlehem as a Christian pilgrimage site through centuries generated a trade in mother of pearl carving souvenirs for pilgrims, with women mainly doing the carvings (Weir 1989). Jerusalem too adopted mother of pearl carvings as souvenirs for pilgrims, potentially from where this splendid box originates. Most of the supply for the mother of pearl came from the Red Sea. The later addition of the calligraphic tools inside the chest give an indication of how such a box would have been used.