Minakari enamel vs Filigree (Malileh)

میناکاری · ملیله‌کاری

Minakari enamel: A decorative technique in which powdered coloured glass is fused by heat onto the surface of gold, silver or copper objects, producing a smooth, glossy coloured surface, historically practised in Isfahan on vessels, jewellery and decorative panels. Filigree (Malileh): A metalworking technique in which fine drawn wires of silver or gold, often twisted or beaded, are soldered into openwork lattices and coiled floral forms to build jewellery, vessels and decorative panels.

Side by side

	Minakari enamel	Filigree (Malileh)
Persian name	میناکاری	ملیله‌کاری
Category	Metalwork · Enamel	Metalwork · Wirework
Materials	copper, brass	silver, copper
Techniques	metal-enamelling	wire-filigree
Regions	isfahan	isfahan, sistan-baluchestan
Periods	safavid, qajar, pahlavi, contemporary	qajar, pahlavi, contemporary
Motifs	gol-o-morgh, eslimi-arabesque	eslimi-arabesque
Current vitality	Living tradition	At risk

What they share

Materials: copper
Regions: isfahan
Motifs: eslimi-arabesque
Periods: qajar, pahlavi, contemporary

How to tell them apart

Materials such as brass point towards Minakari enamel.
Materials such as silver point towards Filigree (Malileh).
Minakari enamel typically involves metal-enamelling.
Filigree (Malileh) typically involves wire-filigree.
The stated place of making is a useful clue, but never proof on its own.

Disclaimer

This comparison is educational and built from entries still under review. It cannot confirm what a particular object is.

Side by side

What they share

How to tell them apart

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Disclaimer