If you were to find this in Rome, in that shop flanking the Piazza Navona, or in Florence in the shops along the Arno, near the Ponte Vecchio, it would cost 3-4 times our price. I know. I look at these things every time I'm in Italy, and we also sell to those shops. I wish to advise my customers who want a fabulous micro mosaic souvenir like this one to buy directly from us and pretend you bought it there, pay for your trip on the savings. It's true; these boxes and fine micro mosaics are priced extremely high in situ, and they sell to tourists all the time. Rarely do they match the quality of this one, which hasn't a single rim bite or tiny chip, no cracks, no loss of the tiny colored glass tesserae that has been worked into the basin of black marble, or onyx. The plaque is very likely from Vatican workshops, but the silk covered interior top lining that would have perhaps had gold-embossed signature of the maker is missing - the one notable flaw to this casket. The rest of the old original lining is fully intact and in fine condition for age, as you can see. But we're missing that interior lid lining. A small flaw, but would have told us more about the maker, usually.
Very good condition throughout, as noted. No chips, not even on that beveled rim which usually does have some flea-bite sized spots. No cracks, no restorations, no loss of a single tiny colored glass tesserae. A beautiful floral basket that might have reminded the original owner of the flowers of the Spanish Steps in Rome. Nice large size, beautiful kiln-fired enamel trim that is also in very good condition with very very little loss at all. An eternal bouquet from the eternal city, Rome.
