A RARE AND EXQUISITE PERUVIAN OR MEXICAN MOTHER-OF-PEARL, KINGWOOD AND SILVER KNIFE-BOX
18th century.
20,5 cm high.
379 pieces of mother of pearl !
This luxurious mother-of-pearl box is among a small number of surviving Spanish colonial boxes covered in mother-of-pearl inlay divided by thin borders of tortoiseshell or kingwood. These are thought to originate from Mexico or Peru, compare to a large desk and bookcase in the Victoria and Albert Museum and other museums. Some of these works of art are catalogued as "Peru or Philippines", with reference to artists from Manila producing such pieces for export to the vice-royalties.
Comparanda :
-) LACMA collection - Los Angeles (US),
-) Prado Heudebert collection.
Literature :
-) "Las Artes del Nuevo Mundo", L. Marcos, 2011
-) "The Arts in Latin America 1942-1820", The Philiadelphia Museum of Art
SOLD