Antique Monetiere in Ebony and Tortoiseshell, 1680

Details

Description

Collector’s Cabinet (Monetiere or Coin Cabinet)

Naples, 17th century



Collector’s cabinet, known as a monetiere, of architectural conception, attributable to … Read more Collector’s Cabinet (Monetiere or Coin Cabinet)

Naples, 17th century



Collector’s cabinet, known as a monetiere, of architectural conception, attributable to Neapolitan cabinetmaking of the 17th century and conceived for the storage of coins, medals and small precious objects.

The façade is organised around a central aedicule-form door, articulated by two spiral columns framing a niche with a figure of the goddess Athena, surmounted by a gilt bronze representation of Zeus. On either side of the door are five drawers, the upper drawer on each side divided into two compartments.

Behind the central door are six drawers, concealed from view when the cabinet is closed, with marble fronts fitted with lion-head pulls.

The door is equipped with a finely engraved iron lock decorated with floral motifs.

The cabinet is constructed with ebony profiles and framing elements and is enriched with high-quality gilt bronze mounts, used for both decorative and functional purposes.

The drawer fronts and panels are veneered with a dark mottled veneer, used decoratively in contrast with the ebony structure.

Carrying handles of fine workmanship are mounted on the sides of the cabinet.

The upper section is finished with a gilt bronze balustrade, articulated by small columns and interrupted by vase-shaped pinnacles at the uprights.

The cabinet rests on a later base, fitted with three panelled drawers on the front, decorated with gilded metal mounts; the front and sides of the base are veneered in olive wood and stand on onion-shaped feet.

The overall quality of the cabinet is high, evident in the complexity of its internal organisation, the presence of marble-fronted internal drawers, and the careful execution of the gilt bronze mounts. The strong architectural structure and decorative vocabulary firmly place this monetiere within the tradition of 17th-century Neapolitan cabinetmaking. See less