RECENT ACQUISITIONS - 27th February, 2019
19th Century Italian Grand Tour Micromosaic table top centered by a roundel showing St. Peter's Square within a lapiz lazuli border, and surrounded by six ovals depicting the Temple of Vesta, St. Angel Castle and the Tiber bridge, the Pantheon, the Arch of Titus, the Arch of Janus Quadrifrons and the Colosseum within a malachite border, extremely fine quality, set on a black slate. Such micro mosaic plaques were very popular in the late 19th century, when European aristocracy used to visit Italy during the so called "Grand Tour". The plaque is typically Roman, dating to 1870-90, possibly from the studio of the renowned craftsman Cesare Torreggiani.
Reference Number: A5775
20th Century Thai silver presentation dish. Of oval form on half ball shaped feet, finely chased with traditional dense floral decoration and seated deities, presented by the Ambassador of Austria to the Ambassador of Belgium and signed by other Ambassadors stationed in Bangkok, comes with the accompanied letter dated 23.07.1968.
Reference Number: A5583
19th Century Indian silver dish, of impressive size, highly-decorative, embossed with various figures of deities, surrounded with bands of scrolling floral foliage, plain boarder and large bead boarder. The dishes distinctive design is typical to the region of Poona, located 120 miles south-east of Bombay, Occupied by the British since the 1802, it was the perfect military base, being 2000ft above sea level, making the unbearably hot Indian summers more bearable. Poona style closely resembles the silver commonly made in Madras and Burma, distinguished by having large figures in high relief commonly depicting the Avatara, adventures of Vishnu or scenes from the Ramayana. Poona is often confused with Burmese silver, but elements such as wide bands of Kutch like chasing and large beaded boarders as well as the plain bands is a sure indication.
Reference Number: A5779
