Most Damascene boxes are known for their mosaic. The Sovereign Mosaic Box adds a second skill of the hand: a carved relief on the lid, set beside a mosaic diamond with mother-of-pearl inlay. It is made by the Al-Halabi family workshop in Damascus.
What is carved relief?
Relief is carving in which a design is cut so that it stands out from the surface instead of lying flat. On the Sovereign box the relief is carved by hand into the lid and sits beside the mosaic.
What is the Sovereign Mosaic Box?
It is an oval box made of walnut, beechwood, rosewood, lemon wood and eucalyptus, with mother-of-pearl in the design. It measures 33.5 × 23 × 7.2 cm (13.2 × 9.1 × 2.8 in) outside and 30.5 × 19.5 × 7 cm (12.0 × 7.7 × 2.8 in) inside, and weighs 920 g (2.0 lb). A wine-red velvet lining holds jewelry and keepsakes.
How do carving and mosaic work together?
Carving removes material from the wood to shape a design. Mosaic builds a design by setting many small pieces of wood and mother-of-pearl side by side. On this box the two meet on one lid. To see how mosaic alone is made, read how a Damascene mosaic box is made, or learn about the materials in the woods and pearl behind every piece.
The Sovereign box is part of our Mosaic Boxes collection. Made by hand, no two pieces are exactly alike.