About

Turquoise Mountain was founded by His Majesty King Charles to revive historic areas and traditional crafts, and provide jobs and skills where cultural heritage is under threat. Experience the craftsmanship of artisans from Afghanistan and the Levant with a breakfast at Christopher Farr, followed by a personal tour of Leighton House.

Continuing their partnership with Turquoise Mountain, Christopher Farr celebrates the strong cultural heritage of Afghanistan through their work with the weaving communities of Bamiyan. An installation in the showroom curated by Lucy Hammond-Giles of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler sets the scene for some of the incredible work from the expert craftspeople supported by Turquoise Mountain, including intricate woodwork from master artisan Naseer Yasna. 

 A special display for London Craft Week adds more cultural context and insight into knowledge passed down generation to generation through the centuries; from turquoise ceramics made in the Afghan village of Istalif, renowned for their distinctive ishkar glaze — a plant only found in particular provinces in northern Afghanistan for centuries — to precious gemstones such as lapis lazuli and peridot masterfully set in gold and silver by some of the most talented Afghan jewellers. These new pieces tell the story of Turquoise Mountain’s work in Bamiyan and beyond, creating jobs for thousands of people in the Afghan craft sector as one of the most powerful and practical ways to bring incomes to families in the country.

Explore Leighton House – the recently renovated extraordinary home of the Victorian home of painter, Frederic Leighton – with a personal tour from the Curator team including the specially-commissioned collection of furniture by Turquoise Mountain artisans in Jordan. Situated on the edge of Holland Park, the museum is famed for its opulent interiors, including the Arab Hall featuring mosaic floors and tiles acquired through Leighton’s travels to Turkey, Egypt and Syria. Syrian artisans based in Amman, Jordan – Maher Darwish and Abdelrahman Shaaban (Abu Abdo) – have created pieces including marquetry derived from inlaid motifs on a Syrian chest that Lord Leighton acquired on his travels. At that time, his house came to embody the idea of how a great artist should live.