{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O84669"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O84669/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AY3049/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AY3049/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AY3049","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AY3048","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AY3047","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AF6895","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC7986","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O84669/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O84669","accessionNumber":"M.709:1 to 2-1910","objectType":"Incense burner","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This fine incense burner held scented materials such as sandalwood and frankincense. They were burned in a brass tray under the pierced lid. The perfume given off helped to create a refined setting for life at court. Court life also required singers, musicians and bottles of wine, all depicted on the roundels on the lid.\r\n\r\nMetalworkers often transformed objects made from brass by decorating them with sophisticated inlaid surface ornament. This piece was made when the inlay technique was at its peak.\r\n\r\nFor larger motifs, they chiselled out small areas of brass and filled them with thin sheets of silver (as here), gold and copper. They added details were added by chasing the surface of the softer metals and created contrast with a black filler. The results were, for metalwork, an unusually graphic form of decoration, often of great quality.","physicalDescription":"Brass incense burner, pierced and inlaid with gold and silver, with domed lid and human feet. Lid features seated figures in three roundels with pierced decoration on a band of intricate arabesques alternating with smaller medallions composed of the \"Y\" motif. A raised band of braid separates the central container from the lid. The body contains three bands of arabesque decoration with two small medallions and one band of inscription alternating with larger medallions featuring hunting scenes. On one side there is a lobed plaque nailed to the body.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"brass","id":"AAT10946"},{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"}],"techniques":[{"text":"inlay","id":"AAT53850"},{"text":"piercing","id":"AAT231153"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Brass, pierced and inlaid with silver","categories":[{"text":"Islam","id":"THES48932"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Africa","id":"THES49019"}],"styles":[{"text":"Mamluk","id":"AAT21601"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MES","id":"THES48607"},"images":["2006AY3049","2006AY3048","2006AY3047","2006AF6895","2017KC7986"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"42 (VA)","id":"THES49806"},"free":"","case":"2E","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"42 (VA)","id":"THES49806"},"free":"","case":"2E","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Incense burner","id":""}],[{"text":"Lid","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Egypt","id":"x29512"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"possibly"},{"place":{"text":"Syria","id":"x29200"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"possibly"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1250-1300","earliest":"1250-01-01","latest":"1300-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Salting Bequest","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"20","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"12.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"Arabic","medium":"","method":"","position":"Around body of vessel","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Arabic inscription, around body of vessel."}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"Incense burners appear in a variety of forms, zoomorphic, globe-shaped and cylindrical mounted on three legs. Simpler types in bronze date to the 11th-12th century Iran but the separate lid and body is a later feature of the 13th century, as is the more elaborate inlay decoration. There is a similar example in the Nuhad Es-Said Collection.","briefDescription":"Brass incense burner with three feet inlaid with courtly scenes, Egypt or Syria, 1250-1300.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"E. Atil et al., Islamic Metalwork in the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1985, cat. no. 12, figs. 34-35."}],"production":"Mamluk","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"figures","id":"AAT189808"},{"text":"feet","id":"AAT233911"},{"text":"arabesques","id":"AAT10206"},{"text":"roundels","id":"AAT10267"},{"text":"singers","id":"AAT25684"},{"text":"musicians","id":"AAT25666"},{"text":"wine bottles","id":"AAT45639"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"court art","id":"AAT56478"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Jameel Gallery \r\n\r\nIncense Burner\r\nEgypt or Syria\r\n1250–1300\r\n\r\nScented materials such as sandalwood and frankincense were burned in a brass tray under the pierced lid. The perfume given off helped to create a refined setting for court life. Such a setting also required singers, musicians and wine bottles, all depicted on the roundels on the lid.\r\n\r\nBrass inlaid with silver, gold and a black composition\r\nMuseum no. M.709-1910\r\nBequest of George Salting\r\n","date":{"text":"2006","earliest":"2006-01-01","latest":"2006-12-31"}},{"text":"PERFUME - BURNER\r\nBrass, inlaid with silver and gold. SYRIAN; second half of 13th century. Salting Bequest","date":{"text":"Used until 11/2003","earliest":"2003-11-01","latest":"2003-11-30"}}],"partNumbers":["M.709:1-1910","M.709:2-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"709","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Incense burner","Lid"],"assets":["2019LP3463","2019LT3326","2019LW8310","2021MV7620"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2003-10-06","availableToBook":false}}