ITALIAN ENAMELLED COMPACT-CASES BY OTTAVIO SPINELLI

The silversmith Ottavio Spinelli should be a well-known name - at least for collectors of Italian silver enamelled compacts (and, for that matter, brass enameled compacts) - but like all of the Florentine silversmiths and jewelers who practiced their art in the middle decades of the Twentieth Century they are all but invisible to those who, today, prize and collect the objects they once made.

A wonderful example of the work of Ottavio Spinelli originally from the collection of Susan Holte

In earlier writings on other silversmiths such as Gino Bicchielli, Renzo Cassetti and Giuliano Spinelli (undoubtedly a relative of Ottavio's), I have attempted to identify particular characteristics of the case types used by each artisan as well as the decorative techniques they employed. Because after a number of years looking at these cases it was apparent that there were differences - many that are subtle, I admit - that could help in identifying which particular silversmith produced each case.

Now, this exercise in spotting the differences is made irrelevant if the unique silversmith's mark is legible or if there is some other mark that can reliably identify the silversmith in question. In the case of Ottavio Spinelli this is happily the case because there is another mark he used that is unlike any other and, indeed, he seems to have been the only Florentine silversmith who used the standard manufacturer's mark together with his other unique mark. This mark is the stamp of a bird.

(left) A clear set of marks that identify Ottavio Spinelli's work. The manufacturer's number 220 FI and the bird (right) In this example the manufacturer's mark is upside down - a not uncommon phenomenon that can sometimes result in misidentification of a case's origin.

Ottavio Spinelli's unique manufacturer's number is 220 FI and it is usually found together with the bird mark, as well as the assay mark  800 . In passing, I have to admit to not being able to identify what type of bird was meant to be represented. It seems to be a cross between a duck and a swan, but determining this is less important than the fact that the mark unquestionably identifies the case as coming from the Ottavio Spinelli workshop.

In general terms, cases made by Ottavio Spinelli can be identified by his preference for wide cases with a number of lobes with a bifurcated (split) opening lift tab. In addition, the metal border on the face of his cases is typically chased in a zig-zag design.

(left) A favourite case shape used by Ottavio Spinelli. It comprises fifteen lobes, including the hinge but excluding the split lift tab. Note the zig-zag chasing on the border. The scene is a miniature rendition of Francois Boucher's work titled Autumn Pastoral. (right) The same case shape with faux lapis lazuli enamelled sections and illustrating Albi's with titled Dance of the Cupids.

(left) The same case shape used to illustrate Francois Boucher's work titled La Musette. But in this example the border chasing is done in the more conventional style of parallel lines. (right) But zig -zag border chasing is more common in Ottavio Spinelli cases as is illustrated in this example showing Reni's work titled Aurora.

A large, fifteen-lobed, case, four inches, or 10 centimetres, wide was a favourite case shape used by Ottavio Spinelli, but he also used similarly wide cases with slightly different shapes and fewer lobes.

(left) This ten-lobed case with flat hinged section has a wonderful illustration of Raphael's Apollo. (right) But this example, illustrating Holiday's work titled Dante and Beatrice, uses conventional border chasing in the same ten-lobed case shape.

(left) As does this evocative image of Corot's work titled The Road to Sevres. (right) However, the more typical zig-zag chasing appears in this case that illustrates Lancret's iconic work titled The Music Lesson.

(left) This very rare scene from a work titled View of Piazza della Signoria shows the subtle variety employed by Ottavio Spinelli's artisans in decorating their cases. (right) And in this example the miniaturist elected to use only one figure in Francois Boucher's work titled Delights of Life in The Country.

(left) This classic Romeo and Juliet scene was another Ottavio Spinelli favourite (right) ...and is one of the rare examples of what might be described as a limited "production run" of a particular scene. Each completed case is unique, though.

(left) Ottavio Spinelli used a huge number of different scenes. Most were based on original art works but some were made up. This one was based on Murillo's work titled The Little Fruit Seller. (right) This scene is based on Nattier's work titled Marie Adelaide of France as Diana.

(left and right) Another favourite case shape was more oval-looking with only four distinct lobes.

Ottavio Spinelli often selected scenes that portrayed rural life. These were probably sold as souvenirs to tourists visiting Italy.

Not all Ottavio Spinelli's case shapes were oval and he did use at least two square-ish cases.

(left) This is a very rare scene, in the Dutch Mannerist tradition, the original of which has not yet been identified. (right) This illustrates the iconic Botticelli work titled The Birth of Venus.

Aside from the case shapes (and there is evidence of other case shapes that will be revealed in a later post), another common characteristic of Ottavio Spinelli cases is the chasing on the reverse of the cases. While each design was unique (and probably allowed the chaser to exercise his or her own artistic temperament), there was a common feature associated with the border, once again. There were two options for a chased border and each relied on how the border on the cover was chased. If the cover had a zig-zag border then the border on the base was clear. If the cover had a conventionally chased border then the border on the base was zig-zagged, Confused? Trust me, this is what happened and is also suggestive of two distinct production phases during the time Ottavio Spinelli operated.

The reverse of the Dante and Beatrice ten-lobed case shown in this page. Note the small and continuous zig-zag patter non the border that corresponds to the use of the conventional border chasing on the cover.

The reverse of the La Musette oval case with 4 lobes shown in this page. Note the clear border that corresponds to the zig-zag chasing on the border of the cover.

The reverse of the Dancing With Cupids oval case with 4 lobes shown in this page. Note the clear border that corresponds to the zig-zag chasing on the border of the cover.

A few, final, comments. I have not identified a single round case that is marked with the bird stamp nor have I found a round case with the maker's mark 220 FI. This is, to say the least, unexpected and a little perplexing. Are we to conclude that Ottavio Spinelli did not make round cases or, if he did, that for some reason he did not mark them? If anyone has seen a round case with the markings in question please let me know.

Regardless, Ottavio Spinelli, who made his cases entirely after the end of The Second World War and possibly into the 1960s, was a prolific case maker whose name must stand tall among Florentine silversmiths of that period. In any event, his cases can command very high prices and the first case illustrated in this page recently (2013) sold for in excess of $1200.