Turkey, probably Bursa or Istanbul
Iron, inlaid with gold; ivory
H. 9 3/8 in. (23.8 cm), Diam. 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm), D. 1/8 in. (0.2 cm)
Fletcher Fund, 1972 (1972.24)
The handled mirror has been made for millennia in the Near East, and many examples exist from the Islamic period. The polished, reflecting side of this mirror has traces of gold inlay along the edges. On the back, dense spiral scrolls sprinkled with blossoms, leaves, and arabesques revolve from the six-pointed star placed in the center of the polylobed medallion. The handle shaft has a gold chevron pattern and two ivory plaques. A gold-inlaid steel mirror in the Topkapi Palace Museum, Istanbul, is somewhat more deluxe, with a jade handle and inset ruby and turquoise, but the similarity of ornamentation suggests production in the same workshop.
