A Syrian Mother of Pearl Inlaid Table, C 1890

An exquisite example of late-Ottoman Damascene craftsmanship, this finely made hexagonal table is richly inlaid throughout with shimmering mother-of-pearl tesserae set against a ground of ebonised wood. Each of the six tapering panels is framed with delicate geometric marquetry and features a recessed pointed arch, recalling the architectural vocabulary of the great houses of Damascus in the late 19th century.

The top is exceptional: a radiating field of hand-cut mother-of-pearl fragments encircles a bold interlaced star motif, its graphic precision heightened by the iridescence of the inlay. The concentric borders exhibit the meticulous line-work and refined proportions characteristic of the finest workshops of the period, where artisans blended Islamic geometric sensibility with subtle Levantine ornament.

Tables of this calibre—both structurally elegant and so richly worked—were produced in limited numbers for distinguished clients and international exhibitions. Today they stand as highly collectible survivals of a golden age of Syrian decorative arts, prized for their artistry, cultural resonance, and the unmistakable luminosity of their materials.