The Cucci Cabinet, one of just three surviving cabinets crafted by Italian artist Domenico Cucci (the King’s leading cabinet maker) during the reign of the French King Louis XIV and the era of the Sun King has become one of the most expensive pieces of furniture ever sold, receiving over a staggering £4.5 million (approximately $5.8 million) at Christie’s in London.

The rare survival of this piece attracted collectors, institutions and dealers from around the world to Christie’s London, as it is thought to be the fourth most expensive piece of traditional furniture sold at auction. The record is held by the Badminton Cabinet, commissioned by the Duke of Beaufort from the Grand Ducal workshops in Florence in 1726, which sold for £19.1 million at Christie’s in 2004.

Originating from around 1665 to 1675, the remaining two cabinets are part of the Duke of Northumberland’s collection at Alnwick Castle. Although we still don’t know who the cabinet now belongs to, it had been a part of a collection belonging to the March family, a powerful Spanish banking dynasty.

The bronze-colored cabinet, supported on the figure representing the four seasons, has striking ‘pietra dura’ (hard stone) panels,  and carries rich gilted bronze mounts and columns against a tortoiseshell background.

‘We are thrilled with the result achieved by the magnificent Cucci Cabinet from the March Family Collection,” said Marcus Radecke, the director of European furniture at Christie’s.

Via: Daily Mail