A GOLD AND SILVER-DAMASCENED IRON CARD HOLDER Possibly Eibar, Spain, second half 19th century  Of rectangular shape, the lid hinged to the base and moving right to left, the body lavishly inlaid with gold and silver, the decoration consisting of a central oval frame filled with vegetal spray and stylised acanthus leaves, the oval contained within two concentric frames richly ornate with scrolling tendrils, arabesques and four roundels on the corners, the spine decorated with two bottony crosses against tendrils, vegetal spray and arabesques in the centre, 11.3cm long. In the second half of 19th century, Spanish damascene metalwork witnessed an incredible flourishing thanks to the mastery and genius of a single family, the Zuloagas. The motifs decorating their artworks were very much indebted to the artistic vocabulary of Islamic Iberia (i.e. lush arabesques, acanthus leaves' tendrils, floriated roundels) and often they included the Nasrid motto La Ghaliba Illa Allah in their compositions as well. The quality of the damascene work, the intricacy of the decoration and the selection of artistic motifs on this card holder show strong similarities with an iron mirror-frame decorated by Plácido Zuloaga, now in the Khalili Collections (inventory number ZUL23 - https://www.khalilicollections.org/collections/spanish-damascened-metalwork/khalili-collection-spanish-damascened-metalwork-iron-mirror-frame-zul23/), suggesting perhaps a direct Zuloaga or Zuloaga's followers attribution.