Description

Antique Mahoganycabinet with brass escutcheon and flush fitting drawers handles.
This particular cabinet is filled with an impressive collection of various worked precious stones, agates and glass housed in velvet lined drawers. A collection of Grand Tour souvenirs, collected in Italy then brought home and put in an English made cabinet.
The top layer is made up of a mixture of pieces all worked in some way, including hard stones inlaid with other stones, glass items such as the millefiori and also miniature painted pieces. The other trays in the top section are filled with various agates and hard stones, including lapis lazuli, malachite, tigers eye agates and bloodstone.

The drawers contain carved intaglios, a traditional working that can be traced back to Roman times. Many of these carvings are mounted to jewellery or seals. Close inspection reveals latin inscriptions.

The drawers can only be opened once the brass retaining pin has been removed from the front edge of the open cabinet.

This cabinet comes with a fully working lock and tasselled key.

Additional information