Need help on this gold inlaid disk

Hello,

I went to an estate sale today and got a free gift from the owner.
I seems quite lovely and the owner told me something like Toledo Spain??
I googled but only found a city name.

Could anyone share some your knowledge about it?

Thank you!
Jingye

 

It's damascene. A technique of inlaying metal. It looks in poor condition. In good condition they can be quite striking. I purchased a similar one last year and am quite fond of it.

 

Vintage Damascene Toledo Spain Miniature Plate - Inlaid Gold and Black - Footed

I found more similar items on ebay
Vintage Damascene Toledo Spain Miniature Plate - Inlaid Gold and Black - Footed | eBay

 

Toledoware, a less expensive imitation of damascene.

Debora

 

It is real damascene,not Toledoware.

 

Ooooh. Conflict of opinions. How do we tell the difference?

 

Looks like a little souvenir footed trinket dish from Toledo to me. In rather poor condition. But I'm willing to be proven wrong.

Debora

 

It is, but it is genuine damascene, so gold leaf hammered into blackened steel.
While it was made in Toledo, the term Toledoware is generally used for cheap die cast brass items made to copy real Toledo damascene.

Very sad, with so much rust and loss of gold.
I don't know if it can be restored without more loss of that delicate gold. Maybe the best way is to stabilize the process and enjoy the pretty work that is still left.
Or maybe @Hollyblue or @the blacksmith can advise jingyel what to do.

 

Thank you. I stand corrected.

Debora

 

Definitely damascene. The poor thing was probably used as an ashtray.

 

@jingyel
There isn't much you can do to fix the surface,the gold pieces are overlaid onto the steel surface which has chiseled lines to hold the gold sheet. It can have a spray coating of clear paint to stop the gold from falling off more. example of a prepared steel sheet with silver.