ISLAMIC METALWORK by Rachel Ward (Thames...

ISLAMIC METALWORK by Rachel Ward (Thames & Hudson: $15.95; 128 pp., paperback original). This slim, handsome volume surveys a broad range of work, temporally and geographically. Because of religious prohibitions, artisans in Islamic societies produced few examples of figurative sculpture or liturgical vessels--key artifacts in other cultures. However, the same restrictions led the metalsmiths to create a dazzling array of intricate, calligraphic surface decorations using inlay, repousse, perforation and a variety of other techniques.