Lot Essay
This cabinet is illustrated in Examples of Furniture & Decoration by Gillows, London, p.136 'P 3368') where it is described as 'A Rosewood cabinet, carved and richly inlaid with ivory and pearl in the style of the Italian Renaissance'. The flamboyance of the ornate design suggests the influence of a foreign-hand and, indeed, the quality of the exuberant carving is reminiscent of the leading 19th century carvers of Florence. The combined effect of the rich marquetry results in a Renaissance eclecticism crafted to exhibition standards.