This rare and extraordinary pietre dure casket exemplifies the very best of the best in both 17th-century and 19th-century workmanship. Utilizing original period Florentine pietre dure plaques, the 17th-century pastoral scenes and plaques of semi-precious stones are mounted into this exceptional 19th-century ebonized casket with intricately hand-engraved doré bronze mounts. Without question, the materials used in this casket are the greatest that money could buy. The pietre dure plaques in particular were almost certainly fashioned at the Grand Ducal Workshops of Florence, which also produced the famed Badminton Cabinet. That cabinet was auctioned at Christie’s in December 2004 for a record 36.7 million dollars,