An Italian carved giltwood and faux marble cabinet, Roman, last quarter 17th century

the upper section with an arched top feathered mask cresting flanked by a winged cherub and floral swags above a glazed door canted glazed sides, the shaped lower section with a bodly scrolled stem with a cherub female bust and shaped base the whole carved with flowers, leaves and scrolls on a detachable shaped faux marble plinth

Acquired from Casa Chighi, Rome.

Sebastian Schutze, Palazzo Sacchetti, Rome, 2003, illustrated p. 138-139 in the Stanza di Romolo and p. 156.
Alvar González-Palacios, Fasto romano, dipinti, sculture, arredi dai Palazzi di Roma, Roma, Palazzo Sacchetti, 15^th May -30^th June 1991, Tav. XLVIII (cat 85), illustrated.
Alvar González-Palacios, Arredi e Ornamenti Alla Corte di Roma,1560-1795, Milan, 2004, p. 96, illustrated.

see catalogue note at Sothebys.com

In overall good conserved condition. Colour of gilding less greenish and more natural and attractive than in the catalogue photograph. The piece is slightly dirty and would benefit from a light clean according to taste.There are construction and age cracks generally which do not detract from the piece and are commensurate with age as visible from the catalogue photograph. There is some minor wear to the gilding. The inside painted decoration has been refreshed. There is evidence of a previous shelf internally. There is a minor section chipped off the front left scroll of the scallopshell on the base which can easily be touched up. There are some losses to the painted plinth which can easily be touched up. There is evidence of old very minor worm which appears to be no longer active. The cresting is a little loose and would benefit from being secured.
"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 Barocco in Italia Arredi e Decorazioni d’Interni dal 1600 al 1738, Milan, 2000, pp. 132-133, , for a related scarabattola,  of simlar form with very similar carving on the cresting, (collection of Marchese R. Malvezzi Campeggi according to Lizzani, post).
Goffredo Lizzani, Il Mobile Romano, Milan, 1970, p. 23, no. 49p. 154, fig. 248 (Collection of Principessa Elvina Pallavicini).     
Danielle O. Kisluk-Grosheide, Wolfram Koeppe, William Rieder, European Furniture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2006, pp. 45-46, no. 15 (1972.73).

This piece of sculpture furniture-a cabinet on stand known as a scarabattola was of a type intended to contain and showcase the most precious and fragile objects in a collection and originated in Rome in the 17^th and 18^th centuries. 

The offered piece originally from Palazzo Chigi, Rome, can be dated to the last quarter of the 17^th century and exemplifies many ornamental characteristics of Gianlorenzo Bernini (1598-1680), with its sumptuous and fluid carving, who was the most influential architect, painter and above all sculptor whose influence on the Roman Baroque decorative arts cannot be understated. Although, to date no maker is recorded for this piece, the Counts Chigi purchased in the late 17^th century works by the gilder Camillo Saraceni who was responsible for many frames and prepared many vases and putti in collaboration with his other colleagues Inverni and Castelli which are recorded in letters by Alessandro VII. Other known gilders at this time include Francesco Corallo a gilder of wood and Antonio Chiccari and also Carlo Giuliano and Francesco Santone, experts above all in frames. 

Furthermore, there is a design in Nationalmuseum in Stockholm, Sweden by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger (1654-1728) (THC 1088) made after his two visits to Rome in around 1673 and 1687-89. The drawing by Tessin dating to around his last visit to Rome, shows a design for a cresting probably a mirror very similar in conception to the cresting on this scarabattola which lends support to the date and origin of this piece and illustrated by A.G.P. Arredi e ornamenti alla Corte di Roma, p.96. The frolicking putti suspending swags on this scarabattola creates gaiety and movement and the female mask in a feathered headdress flanked by cherubs anchors the viewer’s eyeline to the cabinet which would have displayed precious objects.

It is recorded for example, see Kisluk-Grosheide, et. al. op. cit., p. 46, that the carver Anton Francesco Gonnello (1688-1735) executed three striking scarabattole to hold the amber and ivory collections of the Medici grand dukes in Florence. (Colle, 1997, pp.82-83).

Another similar piece in terms of the upper section is in Palazzo Pallavincini dateable to around the circa 1730-40, and illustrated by Lizzani, op. cit., p.154, fig. 248.

A further example, is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, illustrated by Kisluk-Grosheide, et.al.op.cit., p.46, no.15.