Ottoman calligrapher's table - Lot 205

Ottoman calligrapher's table Inlaid wood, ebony, mother-of-pearl, tortoise shell, ivory and pewter Turkey, early 17th century 21.3 x 28.8 x 18.3 cm Weight: 1.939kg Resting on four legs, this elegant table features a single drawer for storing qalams and various calligraphy tools. Its inlaid decoration, alternating mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell, ivory and micro-marquetry inspired by Persian techniques, testifies to the refinement of furniture production in the Ottoman period. On the front, the decoration unfolds in clusters of interlocking polygons and geometric friezes, around the main drawer pierced by a lock and metal catch. The sides and back are adorned with Persian-inspired checkerboard and geometric friezes in tortoiseshell and mother-of-pearl from the Safavid period. The top is decorated with floral motifs, notably tulips, echoing the decorations on Iznik tiles and Ottoman textiles of the same period. The mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell marquetry registers are framed by wood and ivory micro-mosaic friezes and long ivory fillets on the corners and edges. The decoration of this calligrapher's table, combining Persian-inspired geometry with radiating stars, tulips and the use of pewter micro-mosaics, is typical of marquetry from this period found in court settings, such as the doors of the saray, or harem, of the Topkapi Palace. (Wear and minor chips, restorations, good overall condition given the age of the piece). CITES certificate issued on 21/11/2023