AN OTTOMAN METAL-THREAD PANEL OF THE KABAA DOOR (BURQA'), TURKEY OR EGYPT, LATE 19TH-EARLY 20TH CENTURY

Of rectangular form, embroidered in silver and gilt wires over a black silk ground, the surface broken into cartouches and panels of various shapes and sizes containing inscriptions in thuluth script, the interstices filled with vegetal designs. At the top a large rounded silver panel enclosing Quran 27 surah An-Naml v.30 and v. 80 from surah Al-Isra'. Below four silver Qandeels surrounding v. 30 from surah An-Naml in mirror style on a floral leafy sprays on a yellow ground. The outer border contains cartouches enclosing v. 144 from surah al-Baqraa with part of al-Fatiha. Further stylized with small roundels and gilt floral leafy sprays.