Italian Pietra Dura Playing Cards Panel (Presumed Former Box Lid) salt glazed crock with all sorts of irregularity

with all sorts of irregularity to the shapes of the bone fronts

Otherwise just perfectly distressed

It seems quite likely then that a series of these were created

and one can carry the box around by the loop at top

Italian Pietra Dura Playing Cards Panel (Presumed Former Box Lid) salt glazed crock with all sorts of irregularityI believe this Italian pietra dura (hard stone marquetry) panel was once inset into the lid of a brass or wood playing card box (one can find a range of examples out there with a quick search), but I was quite happy to find it on its own and would be inclined to hang it, perhaps in a gold frame, as a harbinger of good luck and fortune! Earlyish 20th century I believe, with a variety of semi precious stones inlaid lapis, malachite, etc. Lovely. 5 7 8"