Spanish Colonial, probably Mexican, 17th century

inscribed: De Doña Juliana / Castilleja y Altamirano 

Probably presented by Juliana Castilleja y Altamirano (1565-1630) to her niece Juliana Molina y Altamirano Toro, circa 1615, on the occasion of her wedding

Overall, the condition of the casket is good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There are a few minor losses to the tortoiseshell, including to the right edge of the front panel, to the right edge of the left panel, to the top of the lid on the left, and to the front right corner of the lid - this is partially concealed by the mount. There are several nicks and areas of abrasion, including to the front edge of the lid on the right, the front panel at the bottom, to the left panel at the bottom and to the bottom of the back panel. there appears to be a restored break to the front panel at the bottom right corner. There is minor staining to the tortoiseshell throughout. There is wear to the gilding of the engraving throughout, in particular to the inscription at the back. There is tarnishing to the silver mounts, and some rubbing, including at the high points. There is glue residue visible around some of the mounts, notably to the bottom corners and the front of the lid. The bottom panel of tortoiseshell is slightly warped at the front, and the lid is also slightly warped.
"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."

The engraved tortoiseshell on the present casket immediately points towards a Mesoamerican origin, probably Mexico. Compare, for example, to a similarly domed casket with engraved tortoiseshell, part of the Hans Schell Collection in Graz (op. cit. no. 66). The technique for engraving tortoiseshell is said to have been introduced to the Americas by Missionaries travelling from India. Many of these type of caskets and other objects were exported by Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese trading companies, and were usually intended for selling on the European market.

The coats of arms on the present casket stand for the Herrera and the Molina families, indicating it was very likely made for Juliana Molina y Altamirano Toro, whose father's ancestry included those families. The Herrera, Molina and Altamirano families were some of the foremost Spanish Conquistador families in the New World, settling mostly around Chile and Mexico. The coats of arms and the dedication on the present casket make this an unusual commissioned piece. 

RELATED LITERATURE
M. Pall (ed.) Locked Treasures, Caskets and Cabinets from Around the World, cat. Hans Schell Collection, Graz, 2006, p. 84, no. 66