29 juin 2013

South German or Italian, 17th century, Relief of the Ascension of Mary Magdalen. Photo courtesy Sotheby's gilt bronze; 76cm., 29¾in. Estimate 20,000-30,000 GBP PROVENANCE: Sotheby’s London, 6 April 1995, lot 41 Sotheby's. European Sculpture & Works of Art: Medieval to Modern. London | 02 juil. 2013 www.sothebys.com

A pewter, brass, fruitwood and stained sycamore inlaid marquetry, ebony and ebonised cabinet on stand attributed to Pierre Gole (1620-1684), Louis XIV, circa 1680. Photo courtesy Sotheby's the upper section of breakfront form with three frieze drawers inlaid with lunettes and bellflowers above a cupboard door inlaid with a vase of flowers on a plinth opening to reveal a fitted interior with four drawers and a parquetry floor above a further drawer flanked by panels with a ribbon-tied floral bouquet above a... [Lire la suite]

A Flemish ebony veneered and tortoiseshell cabinet on stand, Antwerp, late 17th century, the stand 19th century. Photo courtesy Sotheby's the cabinet with panels with raised mouldings, the hinged pagoda top with two inset painted panel to the inside depicting landscape settings flanking a mirror, the pair of doors below enclosing a tortoiseshell lined interior of architectural forn with a pediment and column ornament, with a central cupboard beneath a drawer and nine further drawers painted with landscape... [Lire la suite]

Dutch Colonial, Indonesia, 17th century, Casket. Photo courtesy Sotheby's tortoiseshell, on a wood core with silver mounts, the interior lined with red velvet; 16 by 22cm., 6¼ by 8 5/8 in. Estimate 3,000-5,000 GBP NOTE: The incised silver mounts with foliate designs on the present casket compare closely with those adorning another tortoiseshell coffer from the Dutch East Indies, formerly known as Batavia, modern-day Indonesia, which was offered at Sotheby's Zurich on 3 April 1981, lot 31. Note the... [Lire la suite]

Indo-Portuguese, 17th century, Casket. Photo courtesy Sotheby's tortoiseshell, bone and ivory, on a wood core, with silver mounts; 10 by 15.5cm., 4 by 6 1/8 in. Estimate 3,000-5,000 GBP NOTE: This unusual casket finds comparisons in 17th-century Indo-Portuguese ivory and tortoiseshell cabinets. Compare, for example, with the cabinet sold at Sotheby's London, on 5 December 2007, lot 57. Note the analagous combination of ivory and tortoiseshell, the small drawers, and the similar rosette-shaped... [Lire la suite]

Dutch Colonial, Indonesia, late 17th century, Casket. Photo courtesy Sotheby's tortoiseshell, on a wood core, with silver mounts, the interior lined with rose velvet; 11.3 by 16.1cm., 4½ by 6 3/8 in. Estimate 5,000-7,000 GBP NOTE: The pierced silver mounts adorning the present casket compare with those found on a similar 17th-century Dutch East Indian tortoiseshell casket sold at Christie's, London, on 4 July 2000, lot 62. Note also the similarly shallow lid and the silver handle on the lid with... [Lire la suite]

Spanish Colonial, Mexico, circa 1700, Casket. Photo courtesy Sotheby's the body incised with arms inspired by those of the Royal House of Habsburg supported by a double-headed eagle, the lid incised with the symbol of a pierced heart, and the interior with the painted monogram of the Jesuit Order: IHS; tortoiseshell, on a wood core with silver mounts; 17.3 by 21cm., 6¾ by 8¼in. Estimate 10,000-15,000 GBP NOTE: This fine casket would have been made in Mexico for the European market, using a... [Lire la suite]

French or Italian, circa 1600, Cameo with a bust of Christ. Photo courtesy Sotheby's inscribed:APPAETHPIAET KAOXEE; sardonyx, set in a later gold ring; cameo: 24mm., 1in.ring: 18mm., 11/16 in. inside diameter. Estimate 3,000-5,000 GBP NOTE: The presence of a Greek inscription on the back of this finely carved cameo, translated as "let me be your salvation and your promise", is unusual. Greek inscriptions can be found on a small number of carved gems, such as the cameo of the Emperor Commodus... [Lire la suite]

German, 16th century, Large ring with a portrait of a classical woman. Photo courtesy Sotheby's the shoulders with engraved foliate decoration and scrollwork silver-gilt, set with a cornelian intaglio; inside diameter: 21mm., 7/8 in. Estimate 12,000-15,000 GBP PROVENANCE: Ralph Andrew Harari, London, until 1969and thence by descentwith S.J. Phillips Ltd., London, 1988private collection, United Kingdom LITTERATURE: J. Boardman and D. Scarisbrick, The Ralph Harari collection of finger rings,... [Lire la suite]

English, circa 1300, Signet Ring. Photo courtesy Sotheby's the gold inscribed in Lombardic script: Amor Vincit Omnia (love conquers all), the intaglio carved with an eagle bearing a laurel wreath in its beak gold, set with a Roman, 1st/ 2nd century AD, onyx agate nicolo intaglio; inside diameter: 1.8cm., ¾in. Estimate 5,000-7,000 GBP PROVENANCE: with H. Ulreich Juwelier, Frankfurt, 1964 NOTE: Martin Henig (op. cit.) discusses the medieval elite's fascination for ancient gems to serve as a... [Lire la suite]