Antique 19thC Austrian Silver, Enamel & Rock Crystal Dish by Rudolf Linke c.1890

Antique 19th century rare and exceptional George IV solid silver salver tray with cast border, large size and extremely heavy gauge, of shaped-circular form with applied cast border ...

Antique 19th Century Austrian rare and unusual solid silver-gilt & enamel rock crystal jug. The rock crystal engraved with intricate scrollwork, silver gilt mounts decorated with cha...

Antique 19th Century French ormolu mounted on onyx centrepiece. Crafted from a single piece of onyx marble, the centrepiece is adorned with ormolu mounted handles on either side, adding an elegant touch. In the middle of the piece is featuring a Chinese cloisonné center...

Antique 19th century French very rare and exceptional quality solid silver & niello serving tray, of shaped oblong form, the boarder beautifully decorated with laurel leaves and appl...

Neo-Classic sterling silver decorative dish plate. An antique piece made in the state of Hanau during the German Imperial period, circa 1820. It was crafted in solid sterling silv...

austrian silver excellent huge bowl vienna art nouveau / made circa 1900-10 stunningly made oval silver bowl of finest quality. the bowl has smooth s...

This is a superb quality antique Italian Pietra Dura mounted, gilt brass and alabaster table-centre comport dish, dating from the late 19th century. With striking pierced Neo-Gothic chased brass mounts this splendid alabaster dish is set with six highly decorative pietra dura roundels depicting various floral decoration. It is raised on a sturdy circular brass base. It is a sumptuous piece which will make a great statement in any special room. Condition: In really excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 8 x width 29 x depth 29 Dimensions in inches: Height 3.1 x width 11.4 x depth 11.4 Pietra Dura is a term for the inlay technique of using cut and fitted, highly polished colored 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 colored marbles or semi-precious stones into a stone base, often in geometric or flower patterns...." Giovanni Montelatici...

Antique cut crystal bowl with continental sterling silver mount, circa 1880-1890.