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$3,500
An impressive large-scale Egyptian hand-hammered and repoussé brass jardinière or cachepot, executed in the Mamluk Revival tradition and richly decorated across virtually its entire exterior. Measuring an substantial 19 inches in diameter and 14 inches high, the vessel has a broad rounded body that tapers toward the base before rising to a straight cylindrical neck and rolled upper rim. Its generous proportions give the piece considerable architectural presence. The brass surface is extensively worked by hand in repoussé, chasing, hammering and engraving, creating a richly textured composition of figural scenes, stylized vegetation, architectural motifs and repeating ornamental borders. Particularly interesting are the narrative panels depicting human figures amid landscape and architectural elements, including imagery evocative of Egypt and its historic monuments. The decoration reflects the renewed European and Middle Eastern fascination with historic Islamic decorative arts during the 19th and early 20th centuries, when Egyptian craftsmen produced elaborate brass and copper objects inspired by medieval Mamluk metalwork. Rather than describing this as an actual medieval Mamluk object, I recommend the more accurate marketplace terminology “Mamluk Revival” or “Mamluk style.” The exterior has been professionally repolished, bringing the warm golden character of the brass back to the surface while retaining variations and traces of age within the recessed decoration. The interior has intentionally been left in its older, unpolished state. Originally conceived as a substantial decorative vessel, its scale makes it particularly versatile in a contemporary interior. It would make a dramatic jardinière or cachepot for a large orchid arrangement, indoor tree or sculptural botanical composition. It could equally be displayed empty as an important piece of Egyptian decorative metalwork on a pedestal, console or low table. There is a small hole to one side, which should be clearly disclosed in the
