Michael Backman: Art History & Material Culture
Exploring the history of the world through the material culture of its people, the nature of collecting, and the role of collectors in the preservation of material culture. See our website www.michaelbackmanltd.com for available non-Western antique artworks, blogs, reels and podcasts.
Michael Backman: Art History & Material Culture
19. The Mysteries of Gold & Silver Filigree: Michael Backman & Sarah Corbett in Conversation
Objects made of filigree are among the most extraordinary items ever to have been produced from gold and silver. Such items present one of the great mysteries of the art world. Where were they made? Who made them? How?
Filigree, it turns out, is an art practiced by gold and silversmiths from Southeast Asia, to India, to Europe, Northern Africa and South America. And that makes filigree even more of a mystery, for it makes determining precise provenance even more difficult. It is perhaps for this reason that filigree items are among the most popular items we sell in the Gallery - it is an area where there is still more research to be done, and that, for many collectors and curators, is one of filigree's attractions.
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