λ AN OTTOMAN MOTHER-OF-PEARL, TORTOISESHELL, AND BONE-INLAID WOODEN SCRIBE'S TABLE
Ottoman Turkey, 17th - 18th century

Of typical rectangular shape, resting on four bracket feet, the front with a fitted, narrow drawer, the wooden body clad in mother-of-pearl, tortoiseshell, bone, and metal marquetry in the form of stellar and interlacing geometric designs encased within strapwork and zig-zag fretwork bands, the top lined in a tooled brown morocco leather inset with an outer border of foliate motifs, 32.5cm x 63cm x 31.5 cm.

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In the collection of the British Museum, there is an analogous 17th-century Ottoman scribe's desk (acc. no. 1991,0717.2), which was originally purchased at auction (Sotheby's London, 25 April 1991, lot 1001). Another similar example is the one sold at Christie's London, 21 June 2000, lot 87, for a record-breaking price of £31,725 GBP (incl. BP).