Door of pine and planewood, decorated with carving and metal inlay, Ottoman Empire, possibly Turkey, 1800-1900

Carved pine and planewood door with brass and iron mounts. The decorated side consists of a lunette carved with rosettes in compartments formed by curved bands, and an upright oblong filled in with lozenges in rows, separated in zig-zags. In each lozenge is a metal disc. The oblong is surrounded by a moulded framework. The plain back is strengthened with three large battens, with moulded fronts. There are two staple hinges and a portion of a lock-plate in iron. The curved drop handle has a repoussé brass plate cut in the form of a cone above a lunette.

V&A Record [1915/1416M] Description: “Door. Turkish (probably from Turkey in Europe). Pine and planewood, decorated with carving and metal inlay. It has iron and brass mounts. Said to have been formerly in a mosque. Purchased [along with 583 and 585-1908] in Budapest, Hungary for £31, 6 shillings, 10 pence.””

General Remarks: “The first two lines of the inscription are in Turkish. It is probably worth while to have these translated, as the end of the first line has a date; viz.72 and most likely they contain information about the object on which they are carved, whatever it is. The last two lines are in Arabic and run: “Oh, thou that lookest at it (i.e. the inscription) ask God for his Mercy on the writer, the sinful, contemplative one, who abases himself towards Him and believes in HIM [and I think] and pray for the writer, God, pardon his sins”. The Arabic is a little corrupt – probably written by someone who knew a few phrases. The two words over the inscription are also Arabic: they mean: Oh Helper! God is our Help. (signed) R. Guest. April 30 1915 – 1915/1416M

584:1-1908