Pair of turtle-shell platters

A pair of oval turtle-shell platters inlaid with gold pitted patterns. The edge are curved. They are decorated with curlicue foliage, scrolls and characters animated ruins.

Period : Italy, Naples, mid XVIII° century

Bibliography : The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, Clocks and Gilt-Bronzes, G. de Bellaigue, London, 1974, p.838.

Similar platters are preserved at the Wallace Collection, the Alexander Collection, and at the Mentmore and Waddesdon Rotschild Colections.

The « inlaid-pitted » technique has been invented in the late XVI° century. Very delicate gold, silver, copper and nacre patterns are inlaid into previously heated turtle-shell.

In Naples, several workshops open, among them those of Antonio de Laurentis, of Nicolas de Turris, of Nicolas de Starrace, or Giuseppe and Gennaro Sarao’ one, father and son, until 1777.

Dimensions :

26,5 x 19,5 cm.

10 ½ x 7 ¾ in.