Case for tazza with a handle in the form of a serpent
XVII century. Leather, Wood, Fabric.Room 079B
This case takes the form of the vessel for which it was made, a Tazza with a handle in the form of a serpent (disappeared during the War of Independence). Probably made in Paris, this case belongs to the "cruciform" series and is, due to its shape and perfection, one of the best cases of the entire set of jewels that Felipe V. inherited.
The exquisite pieces from the Dauphin´s Treasure are complemented by the custom-made cases that match the shape of each and allow them to be safely transported and counted, as each can be recognized by the contours of its corresponding box. Their wooden structures are lined with wool and silk or taffeta, and they are held shut by a system of fasteners. Most are covered, on the outside, with red Morocco leather adorned with bookbinding motifs, such as fleurs-de-lis, dolphins, cartwheels rosettes and so on. This exterior decoration may have been carried out in the last third of the 17th or beginning of the 18th century at the workshops that bound the Dauphin´s book in Paris, either as cases for newly acquired pieces or to replace overly worn cases, or possibly to create a uniform appearance for the entire collection.
Arbeteta Mira, Letizia, El tesoro del Delfín: alhajas de Felipe V recibidas por herencia de su padre Luis, Gran Delfín de Francia, Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado, 2001, p.85-89; 279
