Featured Ebony veneered and Ivory incised box, Italian? French?

This is one of my favorite boxes although I know very little about it, ebony veneered and a ivory incised panel with ivory stringing and satin inside. Origin, value and date unknown but I suspect the panel is very old? size 20cm x 10cm x 3cm

 

Sweet putti. Looks like a little Italian dresser box from the 1960s. (Someone likely to disagree.)

Debora

 

Lovely box, good quality. And yes, it looks Italian. Because of the satin lining I'd say it is a jewellery box.
Reminds me of Italian Renaissance ivory inlaid ebony boxes, but those charming putti are much later of course.

 

Can you get a close up of both the screws/hinges and the angel panel, please?

I'm inclined to glove box rather than dresser, or even for fans.

 

I was lead to believe the box is from 1860-90 and the panel comes from a much earlier French or Italian paneled cabinet, certainly ivory doesn't split like that in 50 years.

 

That fabric looks right for late 19th, certainly.

The box itself - sans panel - looks English, as does that silk. I wonder if the panel was a Grand Tour souvenir.

 

Satin does last a good long time but it could have been changed, the panel could have been Grand Tour souvenir, I still think the box was made for the panel at a much later date but the box shows signs of age, the french polish has almost disintegrated.

 

You're right, it does look as if it has been replaced. If you look at the inside of the lid, it looks like it was not just replaced but put in at a later date. Maybe it was originally without satin, and satin was put in for use as a jewellery box.
The entire box looks Italian, and could well have been made in Italy for an existing panel.

3 cm is pretty flat for a glove box.
With a size of 20 x 10 x 3 cm it is unlikely it was ever meant for fans. If it was, the period would be 1800-1810, the period of very small fans, the so-called imperceptibles. Or for those beautiful 18th century Dutch small pierced brisé fans. Also unlikely since it would have been such a niche market, but if you could ever prove that, the box would be very valuable.
As far as I'm concerned it is neither a fan box nor a glove box.

 

I think the box was just made to house the panel but it does have a perfume smell to the box. As with many of my pieces it's a one off and we are unlikely to find another to put a label on it.

 

One thought. The ivory looks like an engraving After an Old Master. If you can track down the painting.....?

 

That's an idea. It immediately reminded me of those putti looking down at you from the painted inside of a Baroque church dome. Although the putti look later than Baroque, perhaps late Rococo.

 

I agree, it does remind me of a old Italian painting. It must have been done by quite a skilled hand as it's scratched in, very hard to do on ivory without going off line.

 

The Italians were masters at ivory engraving. And you can tell it was made by a true artist.

 

Yes, it's a classic copper plate engraver's techique with those lines as shading.

 

Well in my view it was another ebay steal at £37 including postage

 

I like Ownedby's idea of a Grand Tour souvenir.

But there's an odd asymmetry to the splice on the inlay at top and bottom, which I don't mind - just makes makes it it was made just for the ivory piece and not a luxury item bought on a tour. The box itself looks more masculine than feminine.

 

Yup, I think the panel was Grand Tour and the box made to fit it.

 

Try Sorrento ware.

Debora

 

Sorrento Ware isn't ivory inlay though. It's marquetry, or ocasionally parquetry, and done in wood. I've had a lot of it.

 

Never? Good to know. Thanks.

Debora