An Italian ormolu-mounted walnut, ebonised, marquetry, mother-of-pearl and ivory-inlaid secretaire cabinet

ATTRIBUTED TO LUIGI AND ANGELO FALCINI, FLORENCE, CIRCA 1840

Details

An Italian ormolu-mounted walnut, ebonised, marquetry, mother-of-pearl and ivory-inlaid secretaire cabinet
Attributed to Luigi and Angelo Falcini, Florence, Circa 1840
Of breakfront rectangular shape, the arched pediment with a central plateau, disguising a hinged compartment, flanked to each side by a scroll, above a moulded cornice, the frieze below with a repeating foliate marquetry inlay of green-stained ivory foliage and 'mother-of-pearl' flowers, above foliate festoons, the hinged fall-front centred by a roundel inlaid with a bird of prey, within a ribboned foliate wreath, outlined with boxwood stringing and inlaid to each corner with a spandrel, flanked to each side by twin marquetry-inlaid pilasters, each headed by a finely-cast Corinthian capital, the interior with a finely gilt-tooled episcopal-purple leather writing surface and fitted with seven pigeon-holes to the top, above a long rectangular compartment with a central recess inlaid with a ribbon-tied foliate wreath, with a small drawer below, flanked to each side by four small drawers, the lower part with three drawers, each inlaid with a pair of birds amidst foliage within boxwood lines, two drawers flanked to each side by a mother-of-pearl-inlaid butterfly within a demi-lune sector, the central drawer with foliate spandrels, flanked at each side by a scrolled volute inlaid with acanthus, the sides each inlaid with marquetry foliate panels and flanked by a projecting angle, on a moulded stepped plinth with block feet
63 in. (160 cm.) wide; 84 in. (213.3 cm.) high; 22 in. (55.8 cm.) deep

Provenance

By repute: The Hamilton Palace Collection, Hamilton, Scotland.

Lot Essay

This splendid cabinet can be attributed to Luigi and Angelo Falcini, Florentine specalists and restorers of marquetry furniture active 1830-1860. Much of their marquetry recalled the 17th century Florentine work associated with the Flemish-born Leonardo van der Vinne, who had played an active role in the Medici's Opifcio delle Pietre Dure (d. 1713).

Examples of their work can be found in the Palazzo Pitti, Florence. Their work is discussed in A. Gonzales Palacios, Il Tempio del Gusto, La Toscana e Italia Settentrionale, Milan, 1986, Vol I. pp. 181-186, in which a table illustarted has the same marquetry central roundel as on the door of this secretaire. Further examples by them are illustrated in Gonzales Palacios Vol. II. pp. 208-212.
A less impressive cabinet embellished with marquetry attributed to this firm featured in Sotheby's, London 30 May 1997, lot 82.

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