Trapani
Inkwell and sander, Late 17th Century
Gilt copper, corals
h. 5.3 cm
Expertise by Roberto Valeriani
Expertise by Roberto Valeriani
The simple cube shape is supported on animal feet; on each face a silver flower is placed at the centre of fat curls carved to form leaf motifs.
Among the secular objects made by Sicilian “coral-workers”, writing sets are among the most common. Two square recipients, but with an inlaid decoration, are in the collections of the Counts of Schönborn at Pommersfelden (Daneu 1964, plate XXVI). A recipient identical to ours, but with a flowering bush emerging from the top, is now in a private collection (Coralli 1986, no. 147).
The simple cube shape is supported on animal feet; on each face a silver flower is placed at the centre of fat curls carved to form leaf motifs.
Among the secular objects made by Sicilian “coral-workers”, writing sets are among the most common. Two square recipients, but with an inlaid decoration, are in the collections of the Counts of Schönborn at Pommersfelden (Daneu 1964, plate XXVI). A recipient identical to ours, but with a flowering bush emerging from the top, is now in a private collection (Coralli 1986, no. 147).