a fine renaissance style gilt-metal and polychrome decorated tooled and gilt-tooled leather jewelry box austria, circa 1890

the arched outlined case fitted with two doors opening to a red silk lined compartment above three long drawers, the face of the drawers and the inside of doors lined with embossed and tooled polychrome decorated leather depicting the coat of arms of the Medici, the lily of Firenze and other European armorials, amongst renaissance attributes, raised on a rectangular base fitted with a single drawer, inscription PAX TIBI MARCE EVANGELISTA MEUS and Made in Austria to the underside.

The intricate gilt-metal decor applied to the face of both doors shows  Evangelists and Deities. Amongst them is Mark, seen to the right shown with the attribute of a lion with the words: 'Pax tibi, marce, evangelista meus' ('Peace be with you, Mark, my evangelist'), the words spoken by Christ when he visited him in prison.