Brass

Brass working in Egypt carries one of the longest continuous craft histories in the region. Ancient Egyptian goldsmiths shaped copper and gold by hammering and engraving, applying their techniques to sacred and funerary objects — tools, vessels, and ceremonial pieces carrying hieroglyphic motifs and protective symbols. This metalworking tradition predates the Islamic period by several thousand years, establishing Egypt as a centre of metal craft long before the region's most celebrated decorative period began.

The shift came with the Islamic period, when figural imagery gave way to three interlocking decorative disciplines — geometric pattern, arabesque, and calligraphy. Cairo's brass workshops reached their peak under the Mamluk Sultanate, when the city became the cultural centre of the Arab Islamic world. A single finished object passed through a coppersmith, an engraver, and an inlayer — each responsible for a distinct stage. Chasing with chisels, engraving with a burin, and surface decoration are the documented techniques of that period, and they remain in use in Cairo's workshops today.

These pieces are for homes that want more than decoration. Brass develops a natural patina over time — deepening in colour with use and handling, marking each object as owned rather than merely displayed. Explore the craft story behind this collection in our Tales & Crafts guide to Egyptian metalwork.