- FINE ART
-
FURNITURE + LIGHTING
Shop By Category
Shop By Artist
- NEW + CUSTOM
- DECORATIVE ARTS
-
JEWELRY
Shop By Category
Shop By Artist
- INTERIORS
- MAGAZINE
Offered by:
Carlton Hobbs, LLC
PO Box 877
Tuxedo Park, NY 10987 , United States
Call Seller
212.423.9000
Showrooms
A VERY RARE PAIR OF VENEERED LEGNO SILICIZZATO TABLE TOPS
Price Upon Request
-
Tear Sheet Print
- BoardAdd to Board
-
-
Description
A VERY RARE PAIR OF VENEERED LEGNO SILICIZZATO TABLE TOPS
Probably Italian. Eighteenth Century.
Measurements
Length: 47 1/2" (120.7 cm)
Width: 23" (58.4 cm)
Thickness: 1 1/8" (2.9 cm).
Research
Veneered with legno silicizzato. Old repairs.
The present pair of veneered tabletops is a fine example of the use of legno silicizzato, or silicified wood, in furniture. These fossils, which usually date from the late Triassic period (around 200 million years ago), were prized for having the strength typical of hardstones, along with the well-preserved and attractive appearance of their original plant form. The extremely slow process by which the wood is silicified, replacing their organic cells with minerals over a period of millions of years, results in an opaque or translucent stone with a recognizable grain pattern, in colors ranging from white to shades of brown or green.
The unmistakable wood patterns in specimens of legno silicizzato undoubtedly contributed to their use in early furniture, for scientific interest as much as for their decorative appeal. One known early example of a table made from silicified wood was owned by Prince Federico Cesi, who founded the underground scientific society L’Accademia dei Lincei in Rome in 1603.1 Members met at Cesi’s palace in Via della Machera d’Oro to discuss scientific matters and the publication of their studies, including the infamous Il Saggiatore by member Galileo Galilei in 1623. One member named Cassiano Dal Pozzo, who was committed to continuing the Accademia founder’s work after Cesi’s death in 1603, purchased Cesi’s estate, including the table made of fossilized wood, which he sent to his friend George Ent in England around 1636. Ent, a noted physician and member of The Royal Society of London, took the table to the Society’s early meetings, where it is said to have contributed to the group’s debate on the origin of fossils.2 -
More Information
Period: 18th Century Condition: Good. Styles / Movements: Traditional Dealer Reference #: 8027a Incollect Reference #: 733688 -
Dimensions
W. 23 in; H. 47.5 in; W. 58.42 cm; H. 120.65 cm;
Message from Seller:
Carlton Hobbs specializes in the acquisition, conservation, and research of 17th, 18th and 19th century British and Continental furniture and works of art, with a focus on pieces of exceptional merit, including specially commissioned items with royal or aristocratic provenance and pieces designed by architects.
Sign In To View Price
close
You must Sign In to your account to view the price. If you don’t have an account, please Create an Account below.
More Listings from Carlton Hobbs, LLC View all 212 listings
No Listings to show.
- A PAIR OF MARBLE CHIMNEYPIECES POSSIBLY DESIGNED BY WILLIAM KENT
- Large Fruitwood Six-Leg Library Or Map Table With Two Banks Of Narrow Drawers
- A COCKEREL BATTLING WITH TWO SERPENTS, ATTRIBUTED TO FRANCESCO ANTONIO FRANZONI
- A CHARMING PAIR OF BLACK LACQUER AND POLYCHROME PAINTED CHINOISERIE SIDE CHAIRS
- A SUPERB GILT BRONZE MOUNTED SIDE TABLE BY CHARLES TOPINO
- A FINE QUALITY PAIR OF EARLY GEORGIAN BALL AND CLAW ‘HONDURAS’ MAHOGANY STOOLS
- An Exceptional Bronze Sculpture Of An Elephant Head Signed By Kaneda Kenjiro
- A FINE STATUARY AND CONVENT SIENA MARBLE NEOCLASSICAL CHIMNEYPIECE
- A Very Rare And Unusual Baroque Period Antependium
- A WELL DRAWN LATE PALLADIAN GEORGE II MAHOGANY SIDE TABLE
- A Monochromatic Watercolor & Ink on Paper of A Double Level Atrium Interior
- A GILTWOOD NEOCLASSICAL CENTER TABLE WITH INSET SCAGLIOLA TOP
- A Design For A Wall Treatment
- An Oak Side Table With Unusual Conical "Lighthouse" Form Legs