Indian Side Table with Mother of Pearl Inlay

A moon of mother of pearl balanced on iron legs as thin as pencil strokes.

This side table with mother of pearl inlay comes from Rajasthan, India, and is contemporary, made of mother of pearl and iron. Shell inlay has long been practiced in Rajasthan, where artisans set small hand-cut pieces into tight mosaics for furniture and boxes. The round top is covered in pale, softly iridescent tiles laid in a close patchwork, with the inlay carried down the edge. It rests on four slender black iron legs joined by a crossed stretcher, each ending in a small square foot. It is 21 inches high and 21 in diameter.

Glamorous on top, all business underneath.