This wonderful shaffron (from the French chamfrain) – the part of a horse’s armour protecting its head – perfectly documents the Turkish 16th century armour, made up of several metal plates connected one another by iron mails; a light and flexible defence derived from that used by the Islamic heavy cavalry. The piece here presented consists …
This wonderful jewelry box is a rare and unprecedented example of the late-Renaissance highest achievement in ironworking. The rounded lid – typical of a well-defined category of caskets, made in the French area between the late 16th and the early 17th century- is enriched by a pair of silver oval plaquettes, embossed and chiselled, representing two scenes …
A refined French Casket in Iron, Gold and Silver Read More »
This important jar with spout and rich dragon-shaped handles, is entirely decorated with refined and airy “raffaellesche”. On the front there is a shield with the figure of St. Dominic in prayer, over a big cartouche with a large inscription: SV° DI FM° STERNO S (meaning fumoterra syrup or sauce, a plant with purifying properties …
Built according to the ancient procedure described in some ancient treatises and illustrated in the chapter Forge des Enclumes of Diderot et D’Alembert’s Encyclopédie, this majestic and fascinating anvil belongs to the typical French, Swiss and Austrian typology, featuring a clear formal and decorative pattern: a massive body with a protruding, shaped and decorated front (chest) that develops …
This nice tray is a typical example of the so-called tortoiseshell piquè work, a very sophisticated technique probably originated in Naples already around the late 16th century. This art developed significantly a century later, and is described in some 18th century books, revealing processing ‘secrets’: first the softening the tortoiseshell by boiling it in water and olive …
This spectacular purse frame is a very rare example of a scarcely known kind of object. It’s the clasp for a purse used by noblemen, bankers, moneychangers and merchants -rigorously men- for keeping coins, but also keys, letters and documents or the white handkerchief, an essential accessory for the adult gentleman; for sure, the purse …
This two wonderful wrought iron Doorknockers are an outstanding example of the German ironwork craftsmanship from the late 16th century. The body – a round ring, with a diamond shape section – is richly decorated with very fine low-relief engravings depicting animals and vegetal motifs (dogs and hares, flowers and acorns). Two coat-of-arms appear on …
Finely decorated with multi-coloured flowers, insects and leaves, this rare and unique pair of baluster-shaped wooden vases – with ovoid body and scalloped-edge – belongs to a category of objects and furniture traditionally catalogued by means of the term arte povera. Arte povera, basically an equivalent variation of lacca povera (poor man’s lacquer), refers to a well-known decorative …
Richly adorned all over the outer surface, this elegant ewer is a remarkable example of the brass engraving technique, documented in Venice since the 15th century. The shape of the ewer – widespread in the Western world along the 16th century and well known through silver, brass, maiolica and glass examples – is tipically characterised …
Along the 17th and 18th century, European nobility and royalty had among their hobbies also manual activities. French kings as well as German princes and noblemen loved to be trained, often with the help of a teacher, to practice metalworking and to make with their hands iron, wood and ivory pieces. Given their privileged economic …