Italian Cut And Ground Crystal Ring Holder

Before describing the object under consideration we must make an important clarification; the artifact, one of many that we will publish over time, is part of the museum collection o...

Before describing the object under consideration we must make an important clarification; the artifact, one of many that we will publish over time, is part of the museum collection o...

Before describing the object under consideration, we must make an important clarification; the artifact, one of many that we will publish over time, is part of the museum collection of a historic Florentine crystal grinder that unfortunately closed recently. It is the Marcello Galgani & Son company, whose completely manual and artisanal work has not withstood the disproportionate advance of mass-produced mechanical processes! Marcello Galgani began his craft as a grinder and restorer in 1960; as the years went by, Marcello mastered and became familiar with particular techniques and shapes, resulting in the production of objects that manage to retain the freshness of grinding and engraving, the warmth and softness of light, and the inimitable flavor of unique artifacts. After several years, his son Lorenzo, who grew up among crystals, also entered the business and immediately became passionate about this ancient craft with skill and ability. Stimulated by the aesthetic sense of the past, father and son, set up a workshop in which the shapes they researched and created themselves are mouth-blown by traditional Tuscan glassmakers in Empoli, then ground and engraved using ancient sixteenth-century techniques, with motifs born from the Galgani's inexhaustible imagination or culturally inspired by designs of objects seen and studied in Florentine museums (Uffizi, Galleria Palatina, Museo degli Argenti, etc.). Marcello and Lorenzo Galgani were also Masters in the difficult art of restoration, bringing rare and precious objects back to life. As mentioned the company recently closed and disposed of all its last production, and only Marcello's old private museum collection remained, which includes unique and special objects created over time, a collection that the craftsman made available to us for a planned sale. All of the objects were made entirely by hand with old grinding wheels, but there were mainly two tools that allowed the creation of masterpieces: the right hand and the left hand of the master craftsman. Ancient glassmaking techniques were used for all the ground and engraved products: first, the object was ground with an emery wheel fed continuously by a jet of abrasive sand and water, then re-polished with a very fine-grained sandstone wheel also fed with water; the engravings were done freehand using as many as 10-15 small stone wheels for each design (flowers, branches, animals, etc. ); then the object was polished and shined; we must make, at this point, an important clarification on these last two operations: towards the end of the 1960s acid crystal polishing was devised, the object was immersed and rotated in a solution of sulfuric acid, fluoridic acid and water and in a short time all the defects left by the previous processes were eliminated, it was a fast, industrial operation that allowed to lower costs considerably, with discrete but not excellent results. But for Galgani's products polishing is done with a cork bark wheel wet with water and pumice, to make the surfaces more transparent, and finally polishing was achieved with a felt wheel wet with a paste of water, iron oxide, and cerium oxide. This series of processes takes an average of two days of work( sometimes much longer) for each object, each engraving or grinding is the result of the creative inventiveness of the two artisans, inventiveness that transforms crystal into reality material of the highest aesthetic value and inestimable value. All the items in the entire collection have never been used; they were part of the exhibition. Huge and monumental Florentine Renaissance-style vase...

We kindly suggest you read the whole description, because with it we try to give you detailed technical and historical information to guarantee the authenticity of our objects. Excep...

We kindly suggest that you read the entire description, as with it we try to give you detailed technical and historical information to ensure the authenticity of our objects. Delight...

We kindly suggest that you read the entire description, as with it we try to give you detailed technical and historical information to guarantee the authenticity of our objects. Hand...

Functional and glamorous at once, this tissue box holder is handcrafted of the finest materials to enrich luxury bathroom suites and vanity desks. Av...

A glamorous addition to a master bathroom, vanity desk, and powder room, this tissue box holder showcases a rectangular top of hand-blown crystal in ...

An exceptional, fine and impressive, antique Victorian English sterling silver and rock crystal combination vinaigrette/thread spool holder in the form of a carriage lamp; an addition to our diverse collectible silverware collection. This exceptional antique Victorian sterling silver combination vinaigrette / thread holder has been realistically modeled in the form of a carriage lamp. The body of the vessel is embellished with impressive chased scrolling leaf decoration, accented with plain silver borders. The anterior surface of the antique silver holder bears a feature bezel set cabochon cut rock crystal panel, displaying the initials MAUD; this protruding panel replicates the location of the lamp's light. The posterior of the vessel features an impressive hallmarked plain belt loop/hook fastening. The piece retains the original domed hinged cover ornamented with tiered panels embellished with further scrolling leaf decoration. The cover is surmounted with a plain ring loop attachment and opens to reveal the original thread spool. The underside of the lamp is fitted with a hallmarked hinged cover, which opens to reveal the vinaigrette with the original push fit grille and gilding. The grille is ornamented with an engraved and pierced decorated floral rosette design. The interior of the antique vinaigrette cover bears a Victorian lozenge mark which certifies the patent of the design on 8th September 1869 with the UK Patent Office. Condition This antique thread spool...

Exquisite oval-shaped cut-crystal antique jewelry box. The crystal is chiseled into twisted patterns, and the mounts are of gilt bronze, which is decorated with small flowers, pearls...

This dressing table casket is well-cut with diamond shaped panels and stylized fan shaped blazes. This motif is echoed by the decoration of palmettes in the gilt metal banding.

Flamed mahogany liqueur cellar with brass inlaid frame simulating box hardware. The side handles are also inlaid around a motif of two swans facing each other. The keyhole and openin...