An ivory-inlaid table casket with key, Spain, 16th century

of rectangular form supported on a bevelled base, the hinged lid with loop handle and quatrefoil escutcheons, the front with lock and loop-head key, the top and sides inlaid with wood and ivory with an all over lattice pattern of interlocking octagons and diamonds enclosing stellar motifs with chequerboard medallions, the base and lid edges bordered with geometric bands of coloured wood and ivory

In good overall condition, some areas of lifting and loss to inlay particularly on the lid, cracks to lid more visible from the interior, minor loss of inlay to corners of edges, as viewed
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The Islamic tradition of inlaying ivory into walnut dates back to the Umayyad period and is recorded in both Spain and North Africa.  The oldest extant example is the minbar of the Kutubiye Mosque in Marrakesh, made in Córdoba in 1137 for the Almoravid ruler 'Ali bin Yusuf bin Tashufin (r.1106-42). 

Micro-mosaic work of this kind survived the Christian Reconquista and played an influential part in the decoration of Renaissance furniture in Spain and Italy, following a pattern of dissemination not dissimilar to the spread of lustre pottery.  For an example of a 15th/16th-century Veneto-Lombardic cassone inlaid in this technique, see Mario Tinti, Il Mobili Fiorentino, Milano-Roma, Tav. XIX.