An Italian mother-of pearl inlaid marquetry octagonal centre table by the Falcini brothers with the arms of the Troubetzkoy family circa 1840

on eight later ebonised bronze tortoise feet

Probably made for the Troubetzkoy residence, the Jacometti-Ciofi Palace in Via Ghibellina, Florence. In 1839, the palace was restored by the architect Francesco Leoni (1795-1850) and was subsequently sold to the Anglo-Dutch art collector William Gordon Coesvelt.

The most likely candidate  to have purchased this table from the extensive Troubetzkoy family is Peter Troubetzkoy (1822-1892).
He was a Russian diplomat, administrator and general and in 1844, was appointed governor of Smolensk and Orel. He went to Florence in1865 on a diplomatic mission which included the supervision of the Russian church there.  

Simone Chiarugi, Botteghe di Mobilieri in Toscana 1780-1900, Firenze, 1994, p. 197, figs. 247, where the top is illustrated.
Alvar Gonzalez-Palacios, Il Tempio del Gusto, La Toscana e l'Italie Settentrional, Vol. II, Milan, 1986, p. 208, fig. 392, illustrated.

In overall good conserved condition. A fine and unusual example of work by these leading makers due to its size and shape. This piece is on an ebony ground. The colour is slightly darker overall and more natural and attractive than in the catalogue illustration. Old very minor marks, chips and scratches, which are not too noticeable. The quality of the marquetry is very good with nice contrast of colours. There are some very minor patches to the veneer and some very minor restorations but these are hardly noticeable. The marquetry is in very good order but there are however some hairline cracks commensurate with age and there is a construction crack running across the top across the central roundel as visible from photograph, which can easily be filled. Brass on the coat-of-arms in centre shows evidence of restoration. The feet are bronze and not ebonised. Please note:156cm. diameter; 5ft. 1½in.
"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."

Comparative Literature:
Enrico Colle, Il Mobile dell'Ottocento in Italia arredi e decorazioni d'interni dal 1815 al 1900, Milan , 2007, pp. 190-191.
Simone Chiarugi, Botteghe di Mobilieri in Toscana 1780-1900, Firenze, 1994, p. 195-197, figs. 243, 244, 245, 247.
Alvar Gonzalez-Palacios, Il Tempio del Gusto, La Toscana e l'Italie Settentrional, Vol. II, Milan, 1986, p. 208, fig. 392 and fig. 393.
Claudio Paolini, Alessandra Ponte, Ornella Selvafolta, Il bello `ritrovato', Novara, 1990, pp. 228-230.

This impressive table is one of the most important representations of the detailed naturalistic marquetry popularised by the Florentine Falcini brothers Luigi and Angiolo (fl. 1836-69) in the second quarter of the 19th century and is almost certainly by them.

The Falcini brothers were active in Florence and celebrated restorers of Renaissance and baroque marquetry, aswell as executing their own pieces in marquetry. Whilst Lombardy enjoyed the success in the late 18th century of makers such as Maggiolini and Maffezzoli, the Florentine output of inlaid furniture had almost certainly ceased since the flourishing output of Leonardo van der Vinne in the early 17th century.The Falcini brothers in the second quarter of the 19th century revitalised this technique. They were known for their elegant designs inspired by the Renaissance and their superbly executed inlaid work and they supplied the octagonal table to Leopold II, Granduke of Tuscany in 1839. Their inlay reflected the work of the Opificio delle Pietre Dure with its flowers, foliage and birds and they also exhibited at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851 to great acclaim. They appear to have specialised in the production of tables, usually but not exclusively of octagonal form utilising mother-of-pearl and stained fruitwoods.There are several tables by the Falcini brothers in Palazzo Pitti in Florence.

Fortune de Fournier records octagonal tables, ascribed to Falcini  by A.G.P., in a watercolour of an interior of Villa San Donato, belonging to S.E. Prince Anatolio di Demidoff, a patron of the Falcini brothers.

Related tables by the Falcini brothers sold at auction include:
-an octagonal table sold in these Rooms, lot 16, 2^nd April 1993.
-an octagonal table with the Falcini Brothers label, sold Sotheby's, Monaco, 19th June 1988, lot 1721.
-a rectangular table sold in these Rooms, lot 296, 3rd October 1997.
-a pair of rectangular tables, sold in these Rooms, from a Private European Residence,  lot 255, 3^rd March 2006.