An Italian scagliola, ebony, ebonised and parcel-gilt table cabinet, the scagliola panels in the manner of Giovanni Leoni (1639-1710), second half 17th century

within ripple-moulded borders, the central door inset with a panel depicting a vase of flowers flanked by two columns beneath a pediment drawer and resting above a plinth drawer, flanked by eight further drawers with scagliola panels depicting birds perched on branches amongst flowers, foliage, fruit and insects, each side with a large scagliola panel depicting a bird amongst geometric cartouches

Phillips, London, 24 April 1990, lot 95;

Sotheby’s London, 26 May 2000, lot 41

This table cabinet has been extensively conserved, the ebonised decoration and gilding refreshed, the handles substituted. There are overall marks and scratches consistent with age and use, and some restored shrinking cracks, most notably to the top. There are also some traces of old woodworm that appears to be no longer active. The scagliola panels are in very good condition. The replaced gilt feet with scuffing and some losses to the gilt surface. Some new elements, namely the pilasters plinth bases.
"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."

Related Literature:

D. Colli, A. Garutti, R. Pelloni, La Scagliola carpigiana e l'illusione barocca, Modena, 1990, pp. 87-88

G. Manni, I maestri della scagliola in Emilia Romagna e Marche, Modena, 1997, pp. 140-45

A.M. Massinelli, Scagliola: l'arte della pietra di luna, Rome, 1997, plates 66-66a

Monique Riccardi-Cubitt, The Art of the Cabinet, London, 1992, fig. 23

The cabinet, with its polychrome scagliola panels with birds on fruiting branches of 'Chaffinch' design, is extremely rare. The distinctive decoration reflects the one observed on pietra dura cabinets produced in the same period by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence, after designs introduced by the mosaicist Jacopo Ligozzi (1547-1626), such as seen on a cabinet sold Sotheby’s London, 7 July 2009, lot 7(fig. 1).

Only another pair of closely related scagliola cabinets, or monetieri, is known; originally from the Ducal Palace in Modena, this is now at Konopiste Castle, Czech Republic, and is signed ‘Gio Leone F; 1680-81’ for Giovanni Leoni (fig. 2) illustrated in Manni, op. cit., pp. 140-45, figs. 137-41. The stylistic resemblance between these panels and those on the present cabinet strongly suggest an attribution to Leoni, further substantiated by a comparison with a pair of table tops also featuring birds and attributed to this master at Rocca Fontanellato, illustrated in Manni, op. cit., pp. 150-51.

A pair of scagliola panels with birds, flowers and fruiting in the same spirit was sold Sotheby’s New York, 23 May 2003, lot 73, while a birds and floral scagliola cabinet on stand with similar ripple-moulded frames, unattributed, was sold Sotheby’s Paris, 15 December 2003, lot 255.

Finally, it is interesting to note the existence of at least another nearly identical cabinet, with only slight differences in the configuration of the panels, illustrated it Riccardi-Cubitt, op. cit., fig. 23.

Giovanni Leoni (1639-1711) was born in Carpi, in Emilia, one of the leading centres for scagliola production. He then moved to Lombardy, first to Modena, then to Milan, where he is also recorded as being a cabinet-maker, a fact which corroborates the attribution of this cabinet to him.