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Using a technique developed from Chinese and Vietnamese sources, over the past 500 years Thai mother-of-pearl inlay work has developed a distinctive and beautiful style of its own. Used for a wide variety of decorative purposes, items have included doors and windows for temples, palace thrones and precious objects such as monks' alm bowls or boxes. This book gathers together some of the best examples of mother-of-pearl inlay from the Ayutthaya period onwards, as well as explaining the various stages in the inlay process and illustrating its fascinating history with superlative photography. It includes priceless mother-of-pearl temple doors, some dating back to the eighteenth century, and the finest pieces from the national and royal collections. In all, over 170 masterpieces are illustrated.