Damascened Toledo Miniature Renaissance Cassone Attributed to Plácido Zuloaga

Damascened Toledo Miniature Renaissance Cassone Attributed to Plácido Zuloaga
Spain, Toledo, circa 1880

Height: 18 cms (7.1 ins)
Width: 33 cms (13 ins)
Depth: 20 cms (7.9 ins)

A magnificent Renaissance revival casket in the form of an Italian Cassone, this casket is based directly on another made by Plácido Zuloaga for Alfred Morrison, now known as the ‘Fonthill Casket’. Our wooden casket is inset with five main panels of raised repousé and bronzed grotesques on a stippled red-gold ground, the central panel on the lid has a winged masked bust with gold detailing flanked my scrolling mythical beasts issuing from extravagant acanthus scrolls. The lid and the base share a similar ornament of gold inlaid steel laid at an angle, while the four panels around the sides are framed with corner beading and have borders of damascened gilt steel.