RELIC CHEST WITH SILVER MOUNT Colonial work for Portugal or Spain, 16th/17th century. Tortoiseshell and silver. Rectangular box with multi-curved hinged lid. Chased silver fittings with vine and animal decoration. Raised lock with birds and a lizard-like reptile as a clasp (no key). Side handles and central handle on the lid. Red wax seal on the reverse with the coat of arms of Cardinal Camillo Paolucci Merlini (1692–1763). 29.5 × 18.5 × 13.5 cm. Losses, cracks, and supplements. Provenance: - Probably owned by Cardinal Camillo Paolucci Merlini (1692–1763), Rome. - Swiss ownership. Such tortoiseshell reliquaries were probably made in the Gujarat and Goa regions of India on behalf of the Spanish or Portuguese colonial powers. The silver mounts were added either in Goa or after the reliquaries arrived on the European continent. The motifs on the silver mounts show influences from Mughal art. The caskets were used in Europe as reliquaries or ciboria. A very similar example can be found in the Monasterio de San Lorenzo de el Escorial in Madrid (inv. no. 10044687, published in: Urte Krass: "Naked Bones, Empty Caskets, and a Faceless Bust. Christian Relics and Reliquaries between Europe and Asia during Early Modern Globalisation." In: The nomadic object; the challenge of world for early modern religious art. Intersections, vol. 53. Leiden/Boston 2008, p. 378 with ill.). That piece belonged to King Philip II of Spain (1527–1598). Other comparable pieces can be found in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London (inv. no. M.10&A-1945) and in the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore (inv. no. 2013-00941). The lizard-shaped clasp and the handle are particularly similar to the piece on offer. * The full tax is charged on this item marked *, i.e. VAT is charged on the sum will be refunded to Purchasers providing a validly stamped export declaration. Due to new EU import regulations, it may no longer be possible to import this article after 28 June 2025. If you intend to do so, please contact the department before bidding. For the exportation of this item a CITES license is required. Prospective buyers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country. For further information please contact the department.