Placido Zuloaga

Alcala, Madrid, 6-7 October 2004, lot 207
Acquired from the above by the present owner

James D Lavin, 'The art and tradition of the Zuloagas. Spanish Damascene from the Khalili Collection', Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 1997 for related examples.

some rusting stains overall but does not affect the good condition. crisp ornament, nice and unusual polished finish.
"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."

Placido Zuloaga (1834-1910) was the leader in damascening art in Spain in the second half of the 19th century. His workshop was in Eibar, a town in the Spanish Basque country where his family had been settled for more than three centuries. In 1997, the Victoria & Albert museum in London exhibited in the Silver Galleries a selection of forty works of art from this master, coming from the Nasser Khalili collection.

Zuloaga's first official recognition was in 1855 when he exhibited some pieces, mainly arms and album covers, at the Paris Exposition Universelle. From 1859 he started concentrating on luxury items and henceforth became a favourite of Alfred Morrison, who was his most important patron. Zuloaga exhibited during the Universal Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876, see the illustration of a damascened jewel casket by Jonathan Meyer, Great Exhibitions, Woodbridge, 1988, p. 231, ill. F72.

The coffer now offered for sale is extremely unusual for its polished rather than matt finish. An almost identical coffer, in matt steel, was offered: Sotheby's, London, 10 April 2008, lot 38. The Zuloaga museum, Zumala, Gipuzkoa, has a photograph of Placido Zuloaga in his Eibar studio, circa 1900, showing the present model in the background.