Offered by Franck Baptiste Provence
Travel cabinet in precious wood veneer (ebony and rosewood) inlaid with engraved ivory fillets.
It opens with a flap on the front that reveals an interior with eight drawers in four rows and a central niche.
The door of the niche opens onto a small locker topped with two small drawers; the dividing crosspiece of the latter allows two additional secret compartments to slide out that are hidden in the false bottom.
The drawers and the niche are decorated with fillets and small ivory animals (ibex, squirrels) finely engraved on an ebony background. Original ironwork and goldwork, including a steel lock in the shape of an ace of spades and silver grip and carrying handles decorated with mascarons.
Beautiful quality of African ebony wood with a strong contrast, ranging from the most intense black (heart of the tree) to a soft brown from the sapwood; great finesse of the engraving on ivory.
Interior of the drawers in walnut wood, core in softwood.
Very good state of conservation.
Work from Northern Italy, Milan region around 1650.
Dimensions: Height: 35 cm; Width: 42 cm; Depth: 31.5 cmOur opinion:
The origin of this type of ebony veneered cabinet is Dutch.
Some craftsmen from the Holy Roman Empire such as Theodore de Voghel and Iacobus Fiamengo were sent to the royal armory of Naples to make rifle and crossbow stocks for the service of the Spanish Habsburgs.
Given the success of this luxurious production, they decided to respond to a growing demand by producing pieces for civilians, in particular precious cabinets for wealthy merchants stopping over in the port.
To do this, they hired "intagliatore d'avoli" such as the engraver Giovanni Battista de Curtis, as well as ironworkers and goldsmiths to create the rich mounts for these travel cabinets.
Several pieces commissioned by the Court and documented are now preserved in Italian museums.
After the revolt of 1647 and the proclamation of the Neapolitan Republic, the production center followed the Spanish court and moved further north to the Duchy of Milan.
Until 1713, the kings of Spain remained Dukes of Milan and made the city one of the richest artistic centers in Europe, developing the arms trade, textiles and especially the banking sector.
In addition to the minting of gold coins, Lombardy became the European capital of finance.
Our example is characteristic of the beginning of this luxurious Lombard production, its beautiful state of conservation, its preciousness and the rare presence of small ivory animals make it a fairly rare object on the market.
