Thursday 30 January 2025

Lot 38

A post-Nasrid inlaid wooden chest, Spain, 16th century or later Of rectangular form on splayed...

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Lot 38

A post-Nasrid inlaid wooden chest,
Spain, 16th century or later
Of rectangular form on splayed...

Price Realised: Unsold Lot

Estimate: £2,000 - £3,000

Price realised is hammer price plus fees (31.2% Buyers Premium inclusive of VAT).

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Lot 38

Description

A post-Nasrid inlaid wooden chest,
Spain, 16th century or later

Of rectangular form on splayed foot, the front, sides and hinged lip inlaid with various types of wood in the intarsia technique with repetitive stellar designs within geometric borders, the interior with similarly inlaid compartments and drawers, the reverse plain, metal lockplate to front, with separate key

23 by 51.5 by 32.5cm.

A very similar inlaid wood coffer of comparable size, dated to circa 1550, is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (RP 7627/189). It was originally in the Certosa di Pavia monastery complex in Lombardy, North Italy and was initially thought to have been produced in Italy. This attribution has now been revised to Spain. It has been suggested that the coffer was probably presented to the Certosa monastery by a visiting pilgrim from Spain or a monk belonging to the Carthusian religious order.

The technique of 'certosina' (also known as lavoro di intarsio or intarsia alla certosina) is a type of inlaid work made with polygonal tesserae of various coloured woods and bone arranged in geometric patterns. It is known as alla certosina after the Carthusian church in Pavia, not very far from Genoa which has an altarpiece decorated in this technique. Certosina is traditionally thought to have been made in Genoa or the Veneto region in northern Italy. However, Spain is a more likely centre of production, based on the abstract geometric, and sometime floral ornamentation (M. Rosser-Owen, Islamic Arts from Spain, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2010, p.89.) The art of inlaying small fragments of different coloured woods in geometrical patterns in Andalusia during the Nasrid period. There existed an ongoing tradition of inlay and incrustation in Spain ever since the new minbar was commissioned by the Umayyad caliph al-Hakam II in the tenth century for the Great Mosque of Cordoba (ibid., p.66). 

For a closely related bone-inlaid wood chest, see Christie’s London, 26 October 2023, lot 46. For another sixteenth century, post-Nasrid wood casket with comparable decoration, see the preceding lot.

Buyer's Premium

The buyer shall pay the hammer price together with a premium thereon of 26% up to £20,000 (31.2% inclusive of VAT), 25% from £20,001 - £500,000 (30% inclusive of VAT), 20% from £500,001 thereafter (24% inclusive of VAT). The premium price is subject to VAT at the standard rate.

VAT
VAT is not charged on the hammer price unless it is stated that there is 'VAT applicable on the hammer price at the end of the description. Buyer's premium is subject to VAT.
(ARR) - ARTIST'S RESALE RIGHT

Qualifying living artists and the descendants of artists deceased within the last 70 years are entitled to receive a re-sale royalty each time their work is bought through an auction house or art market professional.

It applies to lots with hammer value over £1,000 as follows:
0 to £50,000 - 4%
£50,000.01 to £200,000 - 3%
£200,000.01 to £350,000 - 1%
£350,000.01 to £500,000 - 0.5%
Exceeding £500,000 - 0.25%
ARR is capped at £12,500

Please note ARR is calculated in euros. Auctioneers will apply current exchange rates.

Export of goods

Buyers intending to export goods should ascertain whether an export licence is required before bidding. Export licences are issued by Arts Council England and application forms can be obtained from its Export Licensing Unit. Details can be found on the ACE website www.artscouncil.org.uk or by phoning ACE on 020 7973 5188. The need for import licences varies from country to country and you should acquaint yourself with all relevant local requirements and provisions before bidding. The refusal of any such licences shall not permit the cancelling of any sale nor allow any delay in making full payment for the lot.

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