Cabinet - Walnut, Bone - Monetary

Prestigious and elegant ebonized wooden money cabinet, crafted by a master Italian cabinetmaker of the seventeenth century, probably Lombard origin, veneered and decorated with bone plaques whose engravings respect the characteristics of Baroque style. It is characterized by two central doors, which open thanks to an internal lock and which show, on both sides, classical figures superbly incised on bone plaques, perimetrally decorated with diamond-shaped inlays made with light-colored threads inlaid into dark wood.

The classical figures, depicting the allegories of the Arts, confirm the importance the object was intended to have in its function of guarding jewelry. The doors on the front then give access to an inner compartment distinguished by three small drawers on each side plus a lower, double-sized one, both decorated with bone engravings whose theme is real hunting scenes with dogs, deer, and wild boar.

In the center there is a small temple-shaped door decorated with a bone engraving in a classical theme: it is an extremely refined and elegant shrine, cleverly structured in ebonized walnut wood, whose inner cavity houses two simple jewelry drawers. In fact, the bottom of the niche can be moved laterally if one has taken care to move the three right-side side drawers, which act as a bolt, revealing the presence of three additional secret drawers.

All the outer drawers have small bronze-gilded pull rings to facilitate opening; given their fragility I cannot guarantee they are original.

The hardware of the opening hinges is original. The key to the inner door is original, while the key for the outer doors is a seventeenth-century one.

The money cabinet externally features two cascaded bronze-gilded handles used for its transport.

Excellent overall condition, with signs of age compatible with the period and the nature of the support.

Accompanying the money cabinet is an authenticity certificate drawn up by an expert registered with the Venice court.