Italy – or more specifically Sicily – came up trumps for Stamford auction house Batemans (20% buyer’s premium) in the form of this 4½in (11cm) carved coral and copper-gilt urn and cover.
It was cautiously catalogued as ‘possibly Italian’ but more probably a product of Tripani, Sicily. This was the home from the 16th century until the end of the 18th century of a specialised workshop producing gilt-metal works of art profusely decorated with red coral. Most were sold into the local market or for export to southern Italy or Spain.