This book offers a fascinating introduction to the ancient art of damascening--the process of embellishing metal objects with intricate designs of gold and silver inlay in splendid works of art ranging from urns and caskets to mirror frames and furniture. It is published to coincide with the first major exhibition ever devoted to the work of Placido Zuloaga (1834-1910), one of the great masters of the art, at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, from May 1997 to January 1998.