D ECO R AT I V E A RTS
Two additions to Thames & Hudson’s ‘The al-Sabah Collection’ Series. Salam Kaoukji is curator and collection manager of The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait, and an editor of Thames & Hudson’s long-running series of the same name.
Precious Indian Weapons and other Princely Accoutrements Salam Kaoukji
c. 550 illustrations 27.6 x 21.9 cm 504pp hardback ISBN 978 0 500 970805 June £45.00
This spectacular collection of nearly 200 jewelled weapons and priceless accoutrements from the Indian subcontinent was assembled over many decades by Sheikh Nasser and Sheikha Hussah al-Sabah for The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait. The ninth book in Thames & Hudson’s celebrated series includes marvellous jewelled, enamelled and carved hard stone weapons, archery rings, a jewelled shield, fittings and horse trappings. The different categories are introduced by historical overviews that present each type in context, and detailed catalogue descriptions explore the techniques and stylistic affinities of each object. This is a dazzling celebration of one of the world’s greatest collections of precious weapons, suitable for specialists and anyone with an interest in weaponry and Indian decorative and jewelled arts.
New in paperback
Arts of the Hellenized East Precious Metalwork and Gems of the Pre-Islamic Era
Martha L. Carter has taught and curated at institutions including the Cleveland Museum of Art and the University of Wisconsin. Prudence O. Harper is Curator Emerita in the Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Pieter Meyers is an independent scholar and Senior Research Chemist at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
c. 350 illustrations 27.6 x 21.9 cm 424pp paperback ISBN 978 0 500 970706 January £29.95
Martha L. Carter • Contributions by Prudence O. Harper and Pieter Meyers Visually compelling and accessible to all art lovers, yet a valuable scholarly resource for collectors, archaeologists and historians, this informative and beautifully produced guide to one of the world’s most spectacular collections of precious metalwork from the Hellenized East is now available in paperback. Leading expert Martha Carter spectacular vessels and other luxury items from the Hellenistic East, including many rare and important objects never before reproduced in print. The decorative motifs of these exquisite objects incorporate (or combine) the complex interconnected cultural histories of Greece, Iran and Central Asia that testify to the astonishing skill of their craftsmen. These connections are explored further in two illustrated essays. Prudence O. Harper’s discussion of a group of eighteen magnificent Sasanian and later Central Asian works of art, including some important royal seals, and an essay by Pieter Meyers on the technology of ancient silver production, including a new metallurgical analysis that helps to clarify the objects’ origins, complete the catalogue.
29