THE TOP BY THE DELLA VALLE BROTHERS OF FLORENCE, THIRD QUARTER 19TH CENTURY

Details

AN ITALIAN SCAGLIOLA TABLE TOP ON A LATER BASE
THE TOP BY THE DELLA VALLE BROTHERS OF FLORENCE, THIRD QUARTER 19TH CENTURY
Of circular form decorated with a central reserve mythological figures in a chariot the black border decorated with stylized foliage and arrows, the underside with remnants of a printed paper label DELLA VALL. & BROTHERS/MANUFACTURES & PA.../...UM 1473 PER P...A ...CCINI/LEGHORN, now on a later bronze tripartite base cast as upturned dolphins and joined by a black slate undertier, scagliola top damaged and restored
28½ in. (72.5 cm.) high, 32¼ in. (82 cm.) diameter

Special notice

Christie's is selling all lots in this sale as agent for an organization which holds a State of New York Exempt Organization certificate. Seller explicitly reserves all trademark and trade name rights and rights of privacy and publicity in the name and image of Doris Duke. No buyer of any property in this sale will acquire any right to use the Doris Duke name or image. Seller further explicitly reserves all copyright rights in designs or other copyrightable works included in the property offered for sale. No buyer of any property in the sale will acquire the rights to reproduce, distribute copies of, or prepare derivative works of such designs or copyrightable works.

Lot Essay

Pietro and Giuseppe della Valle were arguably the foremost scagliola artists of the mid-19th century. The brothers received silver and bronze medals in the exhibitions in Florence in 1839, 1841 and 1844, while one of their tables was honored in the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. Their workshop in Livorno appears to have closed between 1865 and 1873. The address indicated on the label to the reverse of this top, 1.473 per Porta Cappuccini Leghorn (Livorno), appears to have been used towards the end of their activity, and is a strong indicator that much of their trade was with English Grand Tour tourists.

A scagliola table bearing the same label, previously in the collection of Sir Adrian Beecham, Bt., Clopton House, Stratford-on-Avon, was sold anonymously Christie's, London, 24 April 1980, lot 134. A circular scagliola top with identical border ornament but centered by a recumbent lion is also signed by the Della Valle brothers and illustrated in A.M. Massinelli, Scagliola, l'arte della pietra di luna, Rome, 1993, p. 47.

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