19th Century Sorrento Ware Box with Marquetry and Inkwork Scenes

Description

This antique Sorrento box is both intriguing and unusual. It opens with a small knob to reveal a plain wood interior. There are inlays on three sides and the top, each one of different putti. The work and micro mosaic is of very high quality. The box may have been a tea caddy, or may be as part of a larger arrangement. We do not know. There are signs of a long life: there are pieces in veneer missing on all sides as shown in the photos, mostly around the edges, all centers are intact as well as the micro mosaics. The inside is not lined.
Measurements are: 5" x 4 1/4" x 4 1/4".