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Antique bubble glass paper weight, with vanitas Memento Mori, Italy 1850.

About the Item

Antique bubble glass paperweight or paper press. Decorated with a base depicting a vanitas Memento-mori, painted in oil, fixed to the back of the glass to create a three-dimensional figure that appeared to float within the crystal. All the symbols of vanitas are depicted: the perishable flower, the fragile glass, the time that passes with the hourglass, the book with the illusion of knowledge, the severe warning (Ego tu fui, tu ego eris = I was you, you be me) and the skull. Italy mid-19th century.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 1.5 in (3.81 cm)Width: 2.75 in (6.99 cm)Depth: 2.75 in (6.99 cm)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1850
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Milan, IT
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU917137243672
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