- 177
RARE AND IMPORTANT CHARLES II BEADWORK BASKET, DATED 1659
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 USD
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Description
- glass
- Height 8 1/4 in. by Width 13 1/2 in. by Length 22 in.
Signed MARY BLOMFIELD/ ANNO 1659, reverse with a label printed International Art Treasures Exhibition Assembly Rooms Bath 1973 Exhibit No. 158.
Provenance
Christie's, South Kensington, July 14, 1992, sale 4716, lot 162.
Exhibited
International Art Treasures Exhibition, Bath, 1973
Condition
Overall in excellent condition. Decoration to faces is now lacking due to loss of silk thread. Some beads are lacking, minor restorations. Silk lining restored and the beadwork base replaced.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
Beadwork baskets were special creations, as they were not for any practical purpose, and are often decorated with celebratory imagery. They were often created to mimic the forms of silver christening baskets. This example could be commemorating a wedding, as fruit and foliage are often suggestive of fecundity. Beads began to be imported from Venice and Amsterdam around 1630, and they were instantly popular since they were interpreted as symbols of the exotic.
A basket with a similar composition and also worked in beads and depicting Charles II and Catherine of Braganza in the center is in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (39.13.1).