Lot Essay
The arms would appear to be the Royal Arms of Spain and those of Aragon quartering Castile.
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PROBABLY SPANISH, CIRCA 1845
Details
A RENAISSANCE-STYLE ENAMELLED GOLD CEREMONIAL KEY
Probably Spanish, circa 1845
The upper part with square box enamelled with coat-of-arms and lozenge-of-arms twice, with ropework quatrefoil finial enamelled with foliage, the fluted hexafoil stem enamelled with alternating bands of foliage and inscriptions, the bit pierced with central cross and enamelled in red and black
7¼ in. (18.5 cm.) long
A RENAISSANCE-STYLE ENAMELLED GOLD CEREMONIAL KEY Probably Spanish, circa 1845 The upper part with square box enamelled with coat-of-arms and lozenge-of-arms twice, with ropework quatrefoil finial enamelled with foliage, the fluted hexafoil stem enamelled with alternating bands of foliage and inscriptions, the bit pierced with central cross and enamelled in red and black 7¼ in. (18.5 cm.) long
A rough translation of the inscription reads 'Be propitious God, to our Emperor and Ruler. We have no King but Charles.'
Probably Spanish, circa 1845
The upper part with square box enamelled with coat-of-arms and lozenge-of-arms twice, with ropework quatrefoil finial enamelled with foliage, the fluted hexafoil stem enamelled with alternating bands of foliage and inscriptions, the bit pierced with central cross and enamelled in red and black
7¼ in. (18.5 cm.) long
A RENAISSANCE-STYLE ENAMELLED GOLD CEREMONIAL KEY Probably Spanish, circa 1845 The upper part with square box enamelled with coat-of-arms and lozenge-of-arms twice, with ropework quatrefoil finial enamelled with foliage, the fluted hexafoil stem enamelled with alternating bands of foliage and inscriptions, the bit pierced with central cross and enamelled in red and black 7¼ in. (18.5 cm.) long
A rough translation of the inscription reads 'Be propitious God, to our Emperor and Ruler. We have no King but Charles.'
Provenance
As lot 1.
Rothschild inv. no. E.de R.679.
Rothschild inv. no. E.de R.679.
Literature
Anon., 'Le baron Alphonse', L'Art, Paris, 1905, p. 269, 'Voici les fameuses clefs en or émaillé que Valladolid offrit à Charles Quint lors de son entrée dans la ville: un chef-d'oeuvre d'orfèverie que le Baron, pour ses débuts de collectionneur, acheta, ayant à peine 22 ans [i.e. 1849]'.
Special notice
VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.