An Italian Baroque reverse-painted verre églomisé and tortoiseshell-inlaid parcel-gilt ebonized cabinet on stand mid-17th century, Naples

The stretchers of later date. Mounts on top of stand now with oxidation, rubbing and surfacee dirt. With scacttered age and construction cracks and signs of wear. Scattered losses to carving. Some restored breaks. Moulding in areas detached but present. Signs of worm damage throughout, most to later legs. Rebacked. Regilt, gilding now with some losses and rubbing. Painting refreshed in areas. Tortoiseshell with hairline cracks and small losses, not extensive. Some glass panels with cracks, some with rubbing to paint and some replaced. In sound overall condition.
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.

Similar ebony and ebonized cabinets decorated with tortoiseshell and painted glass panels depicting Biblical and mythological scenes can be found in some of the most prestigious European collections such as the collection of the Marquess de Campo-Franco in Palma de Mallorca, the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, in the Palazzo Barberini in Rome and in the Palazzo Pitti in Florence. Although a number of such cabinets are in, or originated from, Spanish collections, they were traditionally made in South Italy. Throughout the seventeenth century Naples had particularly strong ties with Spain as the former was part of the Spanish Empire and thus artistic influences from the Iberian peninsula were extremely strong. Italian descriptions of comparable pieces can also be found in the archives of the Prince of Avellino, the Duke of Calabritti and the Cardinal Caraffa, see Alvar González-Palacios, Il tempio del Gusto, Vol. II. Milan, 1986, pp. 222-224. Cabinets with such lavish decoration were also popular with Grand Tourists and many were exported to England and other parts of Northern Europe. One of the earliest examples of such piece is that purchased by Sir Thomas Isham, who returned to his family home in Northamptonshire in 1676 with a painted-glass-mounted cabinet he had acquired in Naples. Comparable pieces sold Sotheby's London, May 18, 1984, lot 54, Sotheby's London, November 30, 1990, lot 45, Christie's,  Ca'n Puig y Castillo de Brednat, Mallorca, May 24-25, 1999, lot 237 and Sotheby's Amsterdam, June 22, 2004, lot 36. Another related cabinet attributed to the monogramist VBL was sold Sotheby's London, April 27, 2010, lot 24.