Dear Rheuben,
Oh, you are killing me here!
In the late 1920s and the 1930s, Doris Duke traveled in Iraq and Syria, buying the most superb furniture inlaid with mother of pearl, silver wire and carved bone. You can see her collections in 'Shangrila', her estate on Black Point in the Kahala neighbourhood of Honolulu, HI. It is now in the possession of HoMA, and they conduct tours (you book and pay at the museum at 900 South Beretania St., and they ferry you over as a group to the estate. WELL WORTH A VISIT!).
I also have a small, modest collection of this furniture, which we in Israel call 'Damascus' furniture, after the most important centre of production (though it was a feature of Islamic furniture from Morocco in the West to Mindanao (southern Philippines) in the East. Among other treasures, I have a great 19th C. Moslem bride's dowry chest from Mindanao in my Irish home; I bought it from a Filipino tourist in Israel for US$35, and in Ireland had it in a 'place of pride' in my front porch.
Till a Filipino friend, Eddy Jose, a world renowned scroll and art restorer, saw it, and suggested I bring in this piece, worth today over US$8,000! Immediately, I brought it inside, and placed it in my upstairs parlour, where you can see it as you come upstairs to the first floor, where 4 of the bedrooms are situated.
Best,
Shabbat Shalom,
Joey