λ A mid-18th century Italian Neapolitan tortoiseshell casket in the manner of Gennaro Sarao, of

λ A mid-18th century Italian Neapolitan tortoiseshell casket in the manner of Gennaro Sarao, of serpentine outline, finely inlaid with mother of pearl and gold piqué pose, point and cloute, the hinged lid decorated with a classical scene with a lady being abducted, with a gold chariot accompanied by cupids and with attendant figures, framed by Rococo shell scrolls and cartouches, on a diaper ground, with a gold thumbpiece and a push button handle revealing a divided interior, probably for scent bottles, Napoli, c.1740-50, 8.7cm high, 15cm wide. Provenance: Antigone Clarke & Joseph O'Kelly, Antique Boxes, Tea Caddies & Society, 1700-1880, 2nd Edition, p.133, fig. 182. Gennaro Sarao was working in Napoli between 1730 and 1772 and worked for King Charles of Naples and Sicily. His works can be found in the Wallace Collection in London and the Palasciano Collection, Bari. See Christie's Milan, 20th November 2002, lot 546 and Sotheby's, European Sculpture and Works of Art, London, 12th December 2003, lot 175, for similar boxes.