Superb Unmounted Victorian Era Italian Grand Tour Micro Mosaic, 40mm Coliseum Rome

The Roman coliseum as subject, this large and fine and unused mid-1800s Italian micro mosaic comes from a rather large stash I bought as a Paris goldsmith’s estate was auctioned off. Everything from jeweler’s tools to unmounted stones, cameo, micro mosaics. You see some of them in the final photos I’ve sold off a lot of others – those are the remainders I’d kept. You are buying just one – this large rectangular 40mm x 25mm work of mosaicist’s art. Ready to make up into bespoke jewelry (is it Elizabethe Locke who has done some masterpieces with these at enormous prices?). Or just collect them as I have, as the small wondrous works of glass art they truly are. Each tiny colored glass tesserae worked into the onyx or black marble basin, filed smooth.  Full measurements noted on photos.

Very good to excellent condition for age and type. It has never been mounted, and remains in perfect condition. No losses, no raised tesserae, no chips, no cracks or hairlines. Just kept in a goldsmith’s drawer for nearly 200 years.