I remember being there and having fantasies about nighttime... black balaclavas.... lock picks.... getaway cars....
To my taste, this is by far the best Oriental collection, with no average quality pieces, just the elite.
From time to time I hear rumors about Wallace publishing a full catalogue of their Oriental Room. Have you heard anything? Or is it just another of my fantasies?
One thing that surprised me a lot was the virtually complete absense of wootz patterns: all blades were brilliantly polished but not etched. The same is true abour the catalogue of the Dresden Turkish Chamber. Obviously, that must be a philosophy of the museum: etching is a controlled rusting, and they must have made a conservation decision.
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