Islamic
Amulet Holder, 19th century - early 20th century
Repoussé brass, 6.5 x 6.5 x 0.8 cm (2 9/16 x 2 9/16 x 5/16 in.)
This brass amulet holder is square and very thin in it’s width. The front and back are identical bearing a loosely scalloped oval low-relief shape in the center, which is pointed at the top and bottom. This graceful shape is outlined with small rounded, closely-spaced brass shapes that also line the square sides of the amulet holder. Within the center form, a few additional rounded shapes are irregularly scattered among two prominent mirror C-shape curves and a few additional short curves. Five brass spheres are suspended from the bottom of the holder by circular rings. A long, thin brass chain is attached to a loop at the lateral top of each side.
Vatichino
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.