A probably Italian silver-gilt, silver filigree and rock crystal casket, apparently unmarked, probably Venice, circa 1700

 Our casket is reminiscent of objects made in Italy, particularly Venice, combining filigree work and rock crystal cabochons. Its shape is simpler, with cut sides and handles, but many models are shaped like buildings with twisted columns, in reference to Solomon's Temple, which could give these pieces a religious function. 

The filigree technique has been known in Europe since the Middle Ages. It consists of drawing a silver wire from an ingot, first using a swing and then, during the Renaissance, a goldsmith's bench. The Ecouen Museum now houses one of the last known examples. This machine, dated 1565, mechanically stretches metal wires through a die, a plate perforated with decreasing holes, to achieve the desired diameter. Once the spool of silver wire is ready, the goldsmith can make objects of various sizes, from a small reliquary plate to a table or chairs.

This filigree fashion is present in many countries around the world, from China to Goa in India, then a Spanish trading post, and even in Latin America, where goldsmiths copied Iberian works. A filigree chest from the workshops of Goa was sold at Sotheby's Paris,The Giordano Collection, une vision muséale, 20 November 2024, lot 140. Our chest also features rock crystal plaques, suggesting that it was displayed in the curiosity cabinets of European courts. With a decorative function and a filigree base, our object has no practical use.