Altar cross in Venetian blue glass, mounted in gilt-bronze, resting on a round base with four winding legs, decorated with lilies and heads of cherubs.

Italy, Sicily?, circa 1600.

The glass in the lower part is original, the glass in the upper part added during 18th century. Some mount elements later added.

H. 65 x W. 29 cm.

European princely family.

- A comparable altar cross in Venetian green glass and gilt-bronze, Sicily circa 1600, is kept at the Palazzo Madama in Turin (inv. 875/B) (ill. 1).

- A pilgrim's gourd in green glass gadrooned as the base of the present cross, mounted in gilt-metal decorated with cherubs, Italy c. 1575-1625, is kept in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London (inv. 7445-1861) (ill. 2).

- A small two-handled amphora in Medicean red glass and gilt metal decorated with the heads of cherubs, late 16th-early 17th century, h. 22 cm, from private collection Giuseppe Maranghi, featured in the exhibition "Murano, glass masterpieces from the Renaissance to the 21st century" from March 27 to July 28, 2013 at the Maillol Museum in Paris (ill. 3).

- A pair of amphoras of the same shape as the preceding one, c. 1600, with added red glass, h. 13 cm, sold at Coutau-Bégarie, Drouot, May 23, 2014, lot 237 (ill. 4).