Lot 192
192
A FAENZA ARMORIAL 'A COMPENDIARIO' BOX, CIRCA 1640, the square box moulded with a band of heavy rope twist at the bottom edge, applied with winged angel herms at each corner and beast torsos in the center of two sides, the remaining two sides with rampant lions flanking a cartouche painted in blue, yellow, ochre and manganese with a coat-of-arms, the interior fitted with walls pierced with an ogival arch flanked by two holes, the walls forming a circumfrence of 12 square boxes surrounding a larger central square, a hole in the bottom of each 'room', the whole raised on four paw feet--14in. square

Details
A FAENZA ARMORIAL 'A COMPENDIARIO' BOX, CIRCA 1640, the square box moulded with a band of heavy rope twist at the bottom edge, applied with winged angel herms at each corner and beast torsos in the center of two sides, the remaining two sides with rampant lions flanking a cartouche painted in blue, yellow, ochre and manganese with a coat-of-arms, the interior fitted with walls pierced with an ogival arch flanked by two holes, the walls forming a circumfrence of 12 square boxes surrounding a larger central square, a hole in the bottom of each 'room', the whole raised on four paw feet--14in. square

Lot Essay

It has been suggested that the present box is either a maze for a game or possibly a box to hold separate colors of tapestry or embroidery threads.

Cf. Liverani, La Maiolica Italiana, Milan, Tav. 78 for a pair of armorial obelisks similarly glazed and painted

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