What is a pietra dura jewellery casket?

A pietra dura jewellery casket is a decorative storage box featuring hardstone marquetry where highly polished coloured stones, marbles, and semi-precious gems are inlaid into slate or marble substrates, often mounted within gilded bronze or brass frames.

How were 19th-century ormolu and pietra dura boxes constructed?

These caskets were crafted by cutting thin slices of coloured stones to shape, fitting them tightly into carved stone panels to form floral or geometric imagery, and securing them into mercury-gilded bronze or brass frames finished with detailed chasing.

How can one identify authentic 19th-century Italian pietra dura?

Authentic 19th-century pieces display precise seam lines between hand-cut natural stones, authentic casting wear or patination on the gilding, period-appropriate lock mechanisms, and often depict classic Florentine floral or fruit motifs.

How can an antique jewellery casket be styled in a modern interior?

An antique casket functions as an accent piece on a sideboard, dressing table, or mantelpiece, where its gilded texture and stone inlay contrast against minimalist surfaces or complement traditional decor.

How should one clean and preserve ormolu and pietra dura items?

Dust surfaces gently with a soft microfibre cloth, avoiding harsh chemicals, abrasive polishes, or moisture, as liquids can damage the stone adhesives and alter the aged patina of the gilded metalwork.

for sale €2,194 $2,381

£1,875

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Pietra Dura Box

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Id #SA1217896

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Antique Italian Ormolu & Pietra Dura Jewellery Casket 19th C

Name: Antique Italian Ormolu & Pietra Dura Jewellery Casket 19th C
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA1217896
Price: 1875 GBP
Availability: InStock

19th century

For Sale by Regent Antiques

Description

An extravagant Gilt Bronze and Pietra Dura jewellery casket, Circa 1860 in date.

The stunning ormolu casket of circular form, inset with hardstone floral panels and a central plaque depicting a spray of grapes. It opens to reveal a Royal Purple velvet-lined interior and the casket is raised on scroll supports with ormolu ball feet.

Complete with working lock and original key.

Condition:

In really excellent condition, having been beautifully cleaned and waxed, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:

Height 9 cm x Width 17 cm x Depth 17 cm

Dimensions in inches:

Height 3 inches x Width 7 inches x Depth 7 inches

Pietra dura is a term for the inlay technique of using cut and fitted, highly polished coloured stones to create images. It is considered a decorative art.

Pietre dure is an Italian plural meaning "hard rocks" or hardstones; the singular pietra dura is also encountered in Italian. In Italian, but not in English, the term embraces all gem engraving and hardstone carving, which is the artistic carving of three-dimensional objects in semi-precious stone, normally from a single piece, for example, in Chinese jade.

The traditional convention in English has been to use the singular pietra dura just to denote multi-colored inlay work. However, in recent years, there has been a trend to use pietre dure as a term for the same thing, but not for all of the techniques it covers, in Italian.

But the title of a 2008 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Art of the Royal Court: Treasures in Pietre Dure from the Palaces of Europe, used the full Italian sense of the term, probably because they thought that it had greater brand recognition. The material on the website speaks of objects such as a vase in lapis lazuli as being examples of "hardstone carving (pietre dure)."

The Victoria & Albert Museum in London uses both versions on its website, but uses pietra dura. "A method of inlaying coloured marbles or semi-precious stones into a stone base, often in geometric or flower patterns...."

Giovanni Montelatici (1864- 1930) was an Italian Florentine artist whose brilliant work has been distributed across the world by tourists and collectors. Owners of Giovanni's work included Donald Trump.

Ormolu - Gilt Bronze (from French 'or moulu', signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze. The mercury is driven off in a kiln, leaving behind a gold-coloured veneer known as 'gilt bronze'.

The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding, in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper, brass, or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object.

After around 1830, because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury, other techniques were used instead. Electroplating is the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver to produce silver-gilt.

Our reference: A5271

Physical Dimensions

Height

9cm (3.54")

Width

17cm (6.69")

Depth

17cm (6.69")

Declaration

Regent Antiques has dated this Pietra Dura Jewellery Casket to the 1860s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA1217896

Dealers Internal Reference

A5271

Description

An extravagant Gilt Bronze and Pietra Dura jewellery casket, Circa 1860 in date.

“

The stunning ormolu casket of circular form, inset with hardstone floral panels and a central plaque depicting a spray of grapes.

Regent Antiques

It opens to reveal a Royal Purple velvet-lined interior and the casket is raised on scroll supports with ormolu ball feet.

fig 1. A circular 19th-century ormolu jewellery casket featuring fine Pietra Dura floral and fruit stone inlays set into gilt bronze with a key and tassel. — fig 1. Antique Italian Ormolu & Pietra Dura Jewellery Casket 19th C

Complete with working lock and original key.

Condition:

In really excellent condition, having been beautifully cleaned and waxed, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:

Height 9 cm x Width 17 cm x Depth 17 cm

fig 2. A circular 19th-century ormolu jewellery casket featuring fine Pietra Dura floral and fruit stone inlays set into gilt bronze with a key and tassel. — fig 2. Antique Italian Ormolu & Pietra Dura Jewellery Casket 19th C

Dimensions in inches:

Height 3 inches x Width 7 inches x Depth 7 inches

Pietra dura is a term for the inlay technique of using cut and fitted, highly polished coloured stones to create images. It is considered a decorative art.

fig 3. A circular 19th-century ormolu jewellery casket featuring fine Pietra Dura floral and fruit stone inlays set into gilt bronze with a key and tassel. — fig 3. Antique Italian Ormolu & Pietra Dura Jewellery Casket 19th C

Pietre dure is an Italian plural meaning "hard rocks" or hardstones; the singular pietra dura is also encountered in Italian. In Italian, but not in English, the term embraces all gem engraving and hardstone carving, which is the artistic carving of three-dimensional objects in semi-precious stone, normally from a single piece, for example, in Chinese jade.

fig 4. A circular 19th-century ormolu jewellery casket featuring fine Pietra Dura floral and fruit stone inlays set into gilt bronze with a key and tassel. — fig 4. Antique Italian Ormolu & Pietra Dura Jewellery Casket 19th C

The traditional convention in English has been to use the singular pietra dura just to denote multi-colored inlay work. However, in recent years, there has been a trend to use pietre dure as a term for the same thing, but not for all of the techniques it covers, in Italian.

fig 5. A circular 19th-century ormolu jewellery casket featuring fine Pietra Dura floral and fruit stone inlays set into gilt bronze with a key and tassel. — fig 5. Antique Italian Ormolu & Pietra Dura Jewellery Casket 19th C

But the title of a 2008 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Art of the Royal Court: Treasures in Pietre Dure from the Palaces of Europe, used the full Italian sense of the term, probably because they thought that it had greater brand recognition. The material on the website speaks of objects such as a vase in lapis lazuli as being examples of "hardstone carving (pietre dure)."

fig 6. A circular 19th-century ormolu jewellery casket featuring fine Pietra Dura floral and fruit stone inlays set into gilt bronze with a key and tassel. — fig 6. Antique Italian Ormolu & Pietra Dura Jewellery Casket 19th C

The Victoria & Albert Museum in London uses both versions on its website, but uses pietra dura. "A method of inlaying coloured marbles or semi-precious stones into a stone base, often in geometric or flower patterns...."

fig 7. A circular 19th-century ormolu jewellery casket featuring fine Pietra Dura floral and fruit stone inlays set into gilt bronze with a key and tassel. — fig 7. Antique Italian Ormolu & Pietra Dura Jewellery Casket 19th C

Giovanni Montelatici (1864- 1930) was an Italian Florentine artist whose brilliant work has been distributed across the world by tourists and collectors. Owners of Giovanni's work included Donald Trump.

fig 8. A circular 19th-century ormolu jewellery casket featuring fine Pietra Dura floral and fruit stone inlays set into gilt bronze with a key and tassel. — fig 8. Antique Italian Ormolu & Pietra Dura Jewellery Casket 19th C

Ormolu - Gilt Bronze (from French 'or moulu', signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze. The mercury is driven off in a kiln, leaving behind a gold-coloured veneer known as 'gilt bronze'.

fig 9. A circular 19th-century ormolu jewellery casket featuring fine Pietra Dura floral and fruit stone inlays set into gilt bronze with a key and tassel. — fig 9. Antique Italian Ormolu & Pietra Dura Jewellery Casket 19th C

The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding, in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper, brass, or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object.

fig 10. A circular 19th-century ormolu jewellery casket featuring fine Pietra Dura floral and fruit stone inlays set into gilt bronze with a key and tassel. — fig 10. Antique Italian Ormolu & Pietra Dura Jewellery Casket 19th C

After around 1830, because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury, other techniques were used instead. Electroplating is the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver to produce silver-gilt.

Our reference: A5271

Physical Dimensions

Height

9cm (3.54")

Width

17cm (6.69")

Depth

17cm (6.69")

Date of Manufacture

Regent Antiques has dated this Pietra Dura Jewellery Casket to the 1860s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Ref