An Italian Grand Tour souvenir ormolu mounted serpentine inkwell. - image-1

Lot 544 Dα

An Italian Grand Tour souvenir ormolu mounted serpentine inkwell.

Auction 1048 - overview Cologne
15.05.2015, 14:00 - Jewellery, Furniture, Objects of Vertu, Boxes, Portrait Miniatures
Estimate: 2.000 € - 2.500 €

An Italian Grand Tour souvenir ormolu mounted serpentine inkwell.

A solid serpentine covered inkwell set with seven framed lava stone cameos portraying Roman gods. Painted in gouache to the inside of the lid with a depiction of Vesuvius. With an indentation to the centre of the interior surrounded by three small holders for quills. The cameo on the finial and the inner rims worn. H 7, diameter 14 cm.
Probably mid 19th C.

Italian serpentine, known as "verde di prato", was mainly quarried in Tuscany. Another variety is the so-called Gabbro. It was valued even in antiquity for making containers and masonry.