AN OTTOMAN METAL THREAD EMBROIDERED CURTAIN, DATED 1269AH/1852AD

Rectangular, heavily embroidered in silver and silver-gilt threads on a predominantly green and red cotton ground, consisting of a large mosque lamp flanked on both sides by mihrab shaped columns, under two small floral swags topped with two inscription-filled panels, at the top floral and laurel wreaths surrounding a roundel filled with inscription, surrounded by inscription-filled cartouches and small roundels. All within a border with continuous repeat vegetal decorative motifs.

The inscriptions read as follows: On the upper cartouche:" "hadihi al-sitara al-sharifah li-bab al-Tawbah". 'This panel was made for the door of repentance'. Within the floral orange swags: Kalimaat al-Tawhid The central inscriptions: on a green ground, v.56 from surah al-Ahzab, v.13 from surah al-Saff. The inner border with roundels enclosing '' The four Rashidun and the imams Hasan and Hussain''. the elongated panels with Ayat al-Kursi from surah al-Baqraa. A panel at the bottom on a red ground enclosing: This panel was made by the order of the sultan Abdul-Mejid in the year 1269 AH". 130 by 225 cm