Victorian Silver Castle-Top Card Case Lake Albano, Italy J M W Turner

A fine quality and extremely rare early Victorian silver 'Castle-Top' Card Case of shaped rectangular form, profusely chased and engraved with foliate scrolls , a pheasant and a flower spray to the reverse with a shaped cartouche engraved 'Margaret'. The face with an engraved vignette depicting Lake Albano in Italy, with three figures perusing paintings in the lakeside landscape, a rifle hidden in the bushes in the foreground and Castel Gandolfo on the hill in the background.

By Nathaniel Mills, Birmingham, 1844.

After a painting by Joseph Mallord William Turner, R.A. (London 1775-1851).

Lake Albano (Italian: Lago Albano or Lago di Castel Gandolfo) is a small volcanic crater lake in the Alban Hills of Lazio, at the foot of Monte Cavo, 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Rome. Castel Gandolfo, overlooking the lake, is the site of the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo.

European scenes on castle-top Card Cases or Vinaigrette's are extremely scarce, although a few have been recorded.

Sold - £3,650.00