Moorish Platters and Serveware
After the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in the eighth century, Islamic Spain became a cultural mix of influences that shaped both private homes and religious spaces. Moorish design was the name given to this style, which evolved through the 15th century with vibrant tile work, horseshoe arches and lavish ornamentation, most visible at sites such as Granada’s Alhambra and the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. Moorish furniture was often similarly ornate, and featured pieces inlaid with wood, ivory and bone.
When European designers began studying Moorish art and architecture in the early 19th century, it led to a Moorish Revival. Appropriating the style’s decorative flourishes and architectural elements, it promoted a romantic view of Islamic design. Travelers could bring home a memento of what they witnessed in the Middle East, a trend that aligned with a fad for themed interiors. Men’s smoking rooms arranged with ottomans, divans and settees and inlaid tables were especially popular, as were cafés where coffee was served amid bead curtains and colorful floor mats. (Handwoven rugs are a centerpiece of Moorish interiors.) Octagonal rooms with domed ceilings were created for wealthy homes, frequently with furnishings like pipe stands, filigree plasterwork and arched doorways. The horseshoe arch is an iconic attribute of Moorish architecture that, in addition to Spain, can be found in Sicily, Morocco and elsewhere.
Several late 19th to early 20th-century movements featured Moorish touches. The American and English Aesthetic Movement, for example, borrowed liberally from global decorating styles, as seen in furniture designed by Lockwood de Forest, a New York-born artist who mixed Eastern and Western forms. The visual vocabulary of Art Nouveau also references the elegant use of geometry in Moorish design, with Milanese Art Nouveau furniture designer Carlo Bugatti drawing inspiration from the style. The Arts and Crafts movement, which prized expressive yet simple design, incorporated Moorish influences; hand-painted furniture and tile work created by William De Morgan, a British designer and potter who made furnishings for the likes of Morris & Co., were informed by techniques from Moorish Spain.
Find a collection of Moorish lighting, decorative objects, folk art and more furniture on 1stDibs.
20th Century Indian Moorish Platters and Serveware
Silver Plate, Brass
Early 20th Century Syrian Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass, Copper
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish Platters and Serveware
Metal, Brass, Copper
Early 20th Century Egyptian Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass
Mid-20th Century African Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass
Early 20th Century Asian Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass
19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass
19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Platters and Serveware
Copper
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Platters and Serveware
Metal, Brass
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Platters and Serveware
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Platters and Serveware
Abalone, Mother-of-Pearl, Epoxy Resin
1990s Moroccan Moorish Platters and Serveware
Ceramic, Paint
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass, Metal
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass, Copper, Tin
1940s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Platters and Serveware
Silver Plate, Brass
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Platters and Serveware
Copper
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass
1950s American Vintage Moorish Platters and Serveware
Metal
Mid-20th Century Danish Moorish Platters and Serveware
Teak
1950s Italian Vintage Moorish Platters and Serveware
Aluminum
Early 20th Century English Moorish Platters and Serveware
Silver Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Moorish Platters and Serveware
Metal
Late 20th Century Italian Moorish Platters and Serveware
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary French Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass
17th Century Indian Antique Moorish Platters and Serveware
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary French Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary French Moorish Platters and Serveware
Wood, Shagreen Stingray
21st Century and Contemporary French Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass
2010s Philippine Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Platters and Serveware
Copper
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass
Mid-20th Century Asian Moorish Platters and Serveware
Fruitwood
20th Century Moorish Platters and Serveware
Copper
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass
Late 19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Platters and Serveware
Metal, Brass, Copper
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Platters and Serveware
Brass
Late 19th Century Turkish Antique Moorish Platters and Serveware
Metal, Copper
Late 19th Century Turkish Antique Moorish Platters and Serveware
Metal, Copper
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Platters and Serveware
Ceramic
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Platters and Serveware
Ceramic
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Platters and Serveware
Porcelain