DARMANIN TABLE TOPS
These impressive table tops, inlaid with coloured marbles depicting floral and aquatic subjects respectively, were almost certainly made in Malta and relate to a number of marble tops made on the island by the firm J. Darmanin and Sons. Under British rule from 1800 Maltese pietre dure became ever more sought after by the 19th century British aristocracy whose grand tours began to include the island. With its close geographical and cultural links to Italy, Malta had imported the art of pietra dura in preceding centuries to furnish the residences and tombs of the Knight Hospitallers of St John and a number of firms were established who perfected and improved the art of stone inlay.

The tops, and particularly the one inlaid with crustacea, reveals a link to the mid-19th century Maltese firm of Joseph Darmanin & Sons (K. Hay, 'Mosaic Marble Tables by J. Darmanin & Sons of Malta', Furniture History Society, 2010, pp.166-188). A labelled table, made by the firm in 1841, in the Victoria & Albert Museum (W.24:1&2-2003) features the same inlay technique, very related crustacea and very similar banding, employing portor marble as an outer border and vert de mer and giallo for the inner bandings. The manner in which the sea-shells and coral are worked using marbles that have been carefully chosen so that the striations and shading imitate life and the concentric marble surround is virtually identical. A table top in the Royal Collection (RCIN 601) features a related central medallion to the florally decorated table and is inlaid with a vase of flowers similar in appearance and design to that on the current lot.

The table tops made by the Darmanin firm can be distinguished from Florentine tables because of the use of motifs which draw on Maltese history and emblems, and the boldness and clarity of design. The use of naturalistic crustacean ornamentation was undoubtedly inspired by the location of the firm's workshop close to the Valletta fish market, outside the Porte Mare. All the central motifs on these decorative tables are set against a black marble ground to emphasise the detail. Furthermore, the ornamentation of Maltese craftsmanship has a two-dimensional appearance compared with that of Florentine, which has a detailed trompe l'oeil effect.

The 'Marble Workers Darmanin', the most prominent marble-workers in Malta in the 19th century, had a prolific trade in 'Monumental and Mosaic Slabs and other Ornamental Work' including mosaic table tops chiefly for export, and to British tourists who stopped at Valletta while on the Levantine Grand Tour such as Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore; the latter recording her visit to the marble works in her journal, published 1885. A number of Darmanin's ambitious marble mosaic tables were shown at international exhibitions in London and Paris between 1851 and 1886, including in 1851, a table in the Royal Collection at Buckingham Palace, which was awarded a prize medal (RCIN 2631). Interestingly, in the 1862 London Exhibition, in which seven tables were shown by Darmanin, one had 'a vase and four doves' and another was 'with shells'.