Thai Mother-of-Pearl Inlay gathers together over 170 of the finest examples of mother-of-pearl inlay, an art form which has made a rich contribution to the canon of Thai decorative arts. This ware exhibits an intricate interplay between the glistening, opalescent colours of the shell and the shiny black of the lacquer background. Using a complicated and painstaking technique which dates back well over 800 years, the patterns form part of a group of designs referred to collectively as 'lai Thai' or 'Thai design'. Although these designs and the objects they adorn can be very diverse, they nevertheless conform to certain conventions.
Thai Mother-of-Pearl Inlay is the only book devoted to this beautiful art form. It displays the best examples of mother-of-pearl inlay from the sixteenth century onwards, as well as explaining the various stages in the inlay process and illustrating its fascinating history with superlative photography. Among the lavish images are priceless mother-of-pearl temple doors, some dating back to the eighteenth century, and the finest pieces from the national and royal collections.
Julathusana Byachrananda is the author of several other books on Thai design, among them Thai Furniture.