Ivory box with traces of painted decoration, gilded... Lot 1
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Not available
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Ivory box with traces of painted decoration, gilded copper and brass mount. Each side is made of a single ivory plate; these plates are assembled together by small pegs also in ivory. This box was originally decorated with animal and plant motifs, some inscribed in a circle, some are barely visible; front, symmetrical leafy arabesques; back, cheetah between two birds; sides, cheetahs, the right anterior raised and the tail erected in an S-shape; lid, three animals, including two gazelles and four birds; lanceolate hinges, openwork fleur-de-lis angle irons, hasp of the lock at the end in the form of a clover.
Siculo-Arabic, second half of the 12th century with later additions
Height: 7 cm - Length: 17,5 cm - Depth: 10,3 cm
Equipped with a key (some accidents and missing, angles and reinforcements mostly of later period, probably 15th century)
These ivory boxes, known as siculo-arabes, of a great delicacy of execution are of a rather fragile conception and, because of their great age, many of them have come down to us with accidents, restorations during their long life of use and a worn decoration. This is the case of this one which, originally, was supposed to have a refined aspect highlighting its painted decoration like one of those kept in the Museum of Decorative Arts in Berlin of more modest dimensions (inv. K.3102, fig.)
Book consulted:
- D. Knipp, Siculo-Arabic Ivories ans Islamic Painting 1100-1300, Munich, 2011, cat.3, pp 316-317.
This object has a CITES certificate dated 4/5/2022
Put up for sale for lack of payment by the winning bidder.
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