Superb oval four-lobed rock crystal bowl with engraved shell - Lot 315

Superb oval four-lobed rock crystal bowl with engraved shell decoration. Weight: 471.60 g. Dim: 14.8 x 9.8 x 5.5 cm.(slight chipping) A family tradition, the mounting of this bowl was probably in enameled gold and was probably melted down at the end of the 19th century by the former owners to make jewelry distributed within the family... We think it probably dates from the Renaissance period, given the exemplary purity of the material and the quality of the "rond de bosse" cut. It was certainly cut by the greatest lapidaries, such as the Milanese Misseroni workshops in Northern Italy; we can't say for sure, but material of this quality was destined for royal or religious orders...