Antique Copper Plate Islamic Damascus work

Silver Gold inlay Jewish Judaica art 3.7kg

An antique end of 19th Century Copper Plate with Biblical Motives,figures and Symbols Inlayed in Silver and Gold.
This Heavy Solid Copper/Bronze plate is Inlaid in Silver and Gold and portrays The Jerusalem in center and Moses and Aharon on each side.On the Top in Hebrew word is writen "Yerushalayim Ir Hakodesh" that is in free translation-Jerusalem the sacred City.The plate is additionally decorated with the star of David ,Two loins and 5 pomegranates some parts (like the david Star and lions hair) inlaid in gold (usually high karat 20-22gold was used).

In the 19th and early 20th Century, when such plates and trays where made, was a time of revival of the old Mameluke style. Metal smiths and artists worked to resurrect the Mameluke style. Both in Europe and among the Muslims grew an interest in such craftsmanship. The craftsmen inlaid softer metals such as silver and gold ,into harder metals commonly copper and Brass but also into coarser metals. Such vases exemplify the Mameluke revival period, taking ordinary metal and inlaying it to create an impressive and high-status item.Out of the Craftsman where also Jewish artists and Metal smiths who occasionally ,by order or to a smaller target market adorned the pottery with Jewish ornaments ,Biblical writings and Jewish Symbols.These as a whole where much less common and where practiced mostly in Syria (as opposed to General Mameluke style inlaying that was common also in Iran and Egypt). Such, making the Jewish motives ornamented pottery a high valued collectors item.