KHATOON

The lamp shown here is an original design for a private client based upon a Syrian prototype. The richly decorated panels of the main octagonal body are divided into three plaques. The upper and lower plaques contain etched Mamluk floral patterns surrounding a single repousse roundel with an openwork geometrical arabesque. This design is derived from a 15th-century stone fountain belonging to Sultan Qait Bey.

The central plaque contains a large circular band of etched Mamluk floral arabesque around an opening for a curved lamp arm to which a small etched and perforated domical lampshade is attached. Glass beads are suspended from the rim of each lanpshade, in the Syrian style. The main body is crowned by trefoil crenelations, which surround the octagonal cone "roof" surmounting the body. Each panel of the cone is formed of four plaques with etched floral patterns and repousse openwork roundels identical to those on the body.

The base of the lamp is formed of two levels. The upper level replicates the ornamentation of the body, with etched plaques interrupted with eight repousse openwork roundels. The lower level is ornamented with an etched octagonal meander bordering a band of foliate pattern and looping round geometric roundels at each corner. The center of the lower level is open, to hold a single large glass qandil or spotlight.

LMAM-113