Originally published in 1949, this book contains a catalogue of the Islamic metalwork that was in the collection of the British Museum at the time of publication. The text is accompanied by a number of photographic reproductions of key pieces and line drawings of some of the intricate designs featured on the artefacts. Basil Gray, in the introduction, argues that 'metalwork provides the most continuous and best-documented material for the history of Islamic art', and as a record of one of the country's most important collections of such art this book will be of value to anyone with an interest in Islamic art.