Indo-Portuguese cabinet with sadeli décor - Lot 202

Indo-Portuguese cabinet with sadeli décor Marquetry and micro-mosaics of exotic woods, ebony, stained wood, ivory and stained ivory, pewter, copper and brass India, Gujarat or Sindh, late 16th/early 17th century 17 x 28 x 20 cm Weight : 2,581kg (Some restorations and visible wear) This important cabinet features a finely elaborate sadeli marquetry and micro-mosaic decoration, articulated in a rich geometric pattern of lozenges, radiating stars and micro-stars, florets and pointed circles, and friezes of interlocking crosses. This decoration extends over the four exterior faces, the upper façade and the interior décor. The front, with its wide pewter keyhole, opens to reveal six drawers, finely inlaid in succession and fitted with small metal catches. This type of micro-mosaic decoration is found in the so-called sadeli technique (composed of micro-inlays of wood, stained wood, ivory and metals such as copper, brass and pewter) on productions attributed to the west coast regions of India, notably Sindh and Gujarat. As early as the 16th century, small pieces of European-style furniture inlaid with "exotic" materials were produced here in large numbers, often exported to Goa and then Europe, where they were particularly sought-after during the vogue for curiosity cabinets. These portable cabinets were also essential for European travellers across Asia, to carry their personal effects, but were also used by Indians. A portrait of Rustam Kham (from the "Late Shah Jahan album") in the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, features in the margins an Indian goldsmith arranging jewels in a cabinet of the same type (CBL In 07B.35). A comparable 16th-century cabinet is in the Victoria and Albert Museum (acc. no. 317-1866). CITES certificate issued on 21/11/2023