An elegant matched pair of tall Cairoware vases, Egypt, late 19th to early 20th century, crafted from hand-hammered brass with inlaid silver and copper decoration. The tapering bodies are etched with rich arabesques and filled with thuluth script cartouches, celebrating religious or poetic inscriptions in classical Arabic. The vases’ architectural silhouettes recall the minarets and domes of Mamluk Cairo, while the inlay technique reflects the revival of medieval craftsmanship during a time of nationalist renaissance. Each surface invites close reading, both literal and symbolic, as Cairo’s famed metalworkers sought to reclaim an artistic identity rooted in dynastic grandeur and calligraphic splendor.