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A FILIGREE GOLD AND ENAMEL EARRING ELEMENT
- NASRID SPAIN, 14TH CENTURY

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A FILIGREE GOLD AND ENAMEL EARRING ELEMENT
NASRID SPAIN, 14TH CENTURY
Price Realized
(Set Currency)
  • £18,800
  • ($29,779)
  • Price includes buyer's premium
Estimate
    £10,000 - £15,000
  • ($15,840 - $23,760)

Sale Information

Sale 6281
Islamic
11 April 2000
London, King Street





Lot Description

A FILIGREE GOLD AND ENAMEL EARRING ELEMENT
NASRID SPAIN, 14TH CENTURY
Of drop shape, the earring composed of fine spiralling gold wire, the central band with cloisonné enamel lettering on a ground of gold spirals above a minor band of zigzags, the lower hemispherical portion with heart shaped gold spirals, minor repairs, slight encrusted dirt
1.1/8in. (3cm.) long

Lot Notes

The inscription around the bead reads: wa 'izz yadum (and glory lasts).

The technique of this earring or necklace element is closely paralleled by a series of panels in the Berlin Museum (Dodds, Jerrilynn D.: Al-Andalus, the Art of Islamic Spain, New York, 1992, no.71, p.301). Both have the ground of tight scrolls formed of spiralling twisted wire serving as a backdrop to enamelled decoration. In the case of the Berlin plaques there are also applied openwork wire beads while ours has the openwork lower terminal with the wire forming the typical Spanish Islamic element noted in the previous lot.