Gold, Silver, and Bronze from Mughal India

London: Alexandria Press, 1997. Hardcover. VG: An exlibrary book. There are stamps on the front and back free end pages, and a sticker and card on the inside back cover. The dust jacket has a sticker on the top right on the back cover, and a sticker at the base of the spine. There is a stamp on the top text block. Otherwise, the book is in beautiful condition, with clean pages and tight binding.. A gray hardcover book with a dust jacket and a mylar jacket. The title is in gilt lettering down the spine. The dust jacket is illustrated with a photo on the front cover and a photo on the back cover. The spine is a dark red with the lettering printed in white. The pasted and free end pages are illustrated. Pages: (7), 8-367, (1). There are 645 illustrations, and 117 are in color. In this, the first book on Indian metalwork, all the great surviving Mughal objects in gold, as well as enamel, silver, brass, bronze, gilt copper and the Deccani alloy known as bidri are reproduced. The majority have never been published and are unknown to the western connoisseur. Order, beauty, richness, restraint and sensuousness describe the essence of these works of art, produced for the sultans and rajahs of India during the fabulous Mughal age. In addition to being of the most outstanding technical refinement, the finest of these metal objects are among the most striking and poetic utilitarian items ever produced. In his lively and readable text, Zebrowski explains how their greatness derives from the mingling of Hindu and Muslim sensibilities, which is at the heart of Indo-Islamic culture.
1. Emirs & Sultans (712-1526 AD) -- 2. The Art of the Silversmith -- 3. The Art of the Goldsmith -- 4. Enamelling on Copper and Silver (Minai) -- 5. An Exotic Menagerie -- 6. The Oil Lamp & the Candlestand (Chiraghdan; Mashal, Pi-suz, Shamdan) -- 7. The Brazier & the Incense Burner (Angithi, Mangal; Dhupdan, Ud-suz) -- 8. The Slave of the Carpet (Mir-i Farsh) -- 9. The Ewer (Aftaba): The Islamic Inheritance -- 10. The Ewer: The Indian Development -- 11. The Basin (Sailabchi, Tasht) -- 12. The Spittoon (Pikdan, Tukhdan, Ugaldan) -- 13. The Flask & the Flower Vase (Surahi; Guldan) -- 14. The Pilgrim Flask -- 15. The Water Vase (Lota) -- 16. The Huqqa -- 17. The Tray (Sini, Thali) -- 18. The Pandan -- 19. Caskets & Containers (Dibba, Dibya) -- 20. Iran in the Deccan: Alams & Miracles -- 21. Vessels of Devotion.