Description
Overview
A substantial vintage Salimbeni of Florence table box, crafted in solid 925/1000 sterling silver with a warm gilt finish and a richly coloured blue lid panel displaying a fine, repeating guilloché pattern. Its softly incurved corners, raised ornamental corner details, broad silver-gilt body and hinged construction exemplify Salimbeni's distinctive Florentine decorative silverwork. Equally suited to jewellery, keepsakes or display, this is a collectible object with a striking combination of blue and gold.
Key Details
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Object: Salimbeni rectangular table box / jewellery or keepsake box
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Material: Solid 925 sterling silver, with a visible 925 fineness stamp
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Finish: Gold-coloured silver-gilt exterior; gold-plating thickness or purity has not been independently measured
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Lid: Deep blue, finely patterned guilloché-style panel, described as enamel by the earlier seller; the exact decorative technique has not been independently laboratory-tested
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Shape: Rectangular case with gently incurved corners and ornamental scrollwork at the corners
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Construction: Hinged lid with a dark-lined underside and a polished gilt-toned interior base
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Dimensions: Approximately 11.5 × 8.5 × 3 cm (same approximate size as the documented comparable Salimbeni example; exact height should be measured)
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Weight: Approximately 319 g (previous seller's stated weight; pending an independent check)
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Origin / period: Salimbeni, Florence, Italy; vintage twentieth-century production. Precise manufacturing year has not been established
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Maker: Salimbeni, Florence, identified by the maker's stamp on this box, as confirmed by its owner
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421Luxury inventory reference: SP-SD-025
Salimbeni Design and Historical Comparison
This signed Salimbeni box has proportions and construction closely comparable to another documented rectangular silver-gilt table box by Salimbeni of Florence, designed by Franco Salimbeni in 1965 and catalogued on 1stDibs (reference LU6492233442882). That reference has the same 11.5 × 8.5 cm footprint, a reported height of 3 cm, inward-curving corners and ornamental gilt borders. It weighs 345 g.
The documented Salimbeni example is a different object: its lid carries a miniature painted by Beatrice Mellana after Parmigianino's Portrait of a Young Woman, traditionally known as La Schiava Turca. The box offered here instead has an uninterrupted blue patterned lid and a previously recorded weight of 319 g. Both pieces belong to Salimbeni's tradition of finely worked silver-gilt table boxes. The 1965 date belongs to the documented comparator, and does not by itself establish the exact production year of this blue-enamel example.
Guilloché & Traditional Fire Enamel
In historic Florentine silverwork, guilloché refers to intricate, repeated lines engraved into the underlying metal, often by an engine-turning technique. Where translucent vitreous enamel is applied above the engraving, the patterned silver remains visible beneath the coloured glass-like surface, creating characteristic depth and movement in the light.
The Salimbeni workshop describes traditional fire enamelling as a demanding process in which enamel layers are successively fired in a kiln at approximately 700–800°C. Complex multi-colour work may require numerous firing and polishing stages. For elaborate hand-painted miniatures, the workshop describes repeated applications and sometimes 20 to more than 50 firings, finished beneath a polished transparent layer known as fondant. These are documented historical workshop methods, not a claim that the blue panel on this specific box has been tested or that it underwent a particular number of firings. The Salimbeni workshop also documents miniature painting on ivory and mother-of-pearl; neither material is asserted to be present in this item.
Salimbeni Maker's Stamp & Silver Hallmarks
This is an original Salimbeni of Florence box, bearing its maker's stamp, as confirmed by the owner, together with a 925 sterling silver fineness mark. The workshop's documented registration is 391 FI; the precise characters on this particular stamp should be transcribed from a sharp close-up rather than assumed. The maker attribution here is based on the owner's confirmation of the actual stamp, not merely on a stylistic resemblance.
Condition
Vintage pre-owned condition. Fine surface scratches, light handling marks and minor age-related wear are visible on the gilt surfaces and inside the case. The blue decorative panel appears intact in the supplied photographs. Please examine all images carefully; they form part of the condition description. The height, weight and decorative-medium details above should be treated according to their stated verification status.
Authenticity, Guarantee & Shipping
421Luxury guarantees the authenticity of the object as described, including the visible sterling silver fineness hallmark and the owner-confirmed Salimbeni maker's stamp. A 12-month working warranty covers applicable working mechanisms, subject to the stated warranty terms; ordinary cosmetic wear, patina and accidental damage are excluded. The piece is carefully packed and dispatched from Turin, Italy, with signature-required delivery. Please contact 421Luxury for additional photographs or a hallmark examination before purchase.
