posted 03-03-2003 10:55 PM              

Hello everybody!

I hope my pictures show up as this is my first attempt. I would like to market this piece, but would appreciate some help. It is marked M. buccellati-Milano, Roma, Firenza. There are no sterling or gold marks, but I am sure it is sterling with either a gold wash or gold application.

Can any one tell me the age or any other info?
Where is the best place to properly market it? Ebay or is there an auction that can handle this quality with knowledgeable bidders?

posted 03-04-2003 12:33 AM            

Please make your responses general about marketing silver and not specific about selling/buying the above box. Thanks

posted 03-04-2003 08:53 AM            

Be careful how you phrase your listing. You do not want to deceive your potential buyer. To say that you are sure it is sterling does not give the buyer assurance that it IS.

I did a quick web search for M. Bucellatti and found a few posts for a Mario Bucellatti of Italy. No images were available.

posted 03-04-2003 10:52 AM            

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In its brief history Calegaro SilverSarda has acquired an International reputation for quality and style which has brought it into contact with important designers. These collaborations have led to the production of Internationally acclaimed products. A good example of this is the "Bugatti" line which was designed by the architect Massimo Zucchi who transferred to silver the myth of speed. Other important lines were produced in collaboration with: M. Buccellati - Fabian de Santos - Ornella Noorda.

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posted 03-04-2003 01:57 PM            

1. To be sold as solid silver Italian silver must since the mid-30's carry a national stamp that includes the fineness. It is probably permissible to sell a piece of silver without it as long as the vendor doesn't refer to it as solid silver - an unlikely case. Prior to the thirties a city hallmark was required.
   
2. the fact that the box carries the name of the vendor and at least two of its store locations raises the question of it being just a very nice presentation box for some no doubt expensive item - but unlikely of solid silver.

posted 01-08-2007 02:34 PM            

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In the General Silver Forum, there is a thread on a Buccellati silver box. I have done some personal research on Buccellati and therefore thought it would be helpful to offer these thoughts:

The markings clearly show that the box is from Mario Buccellati. He opened stores in Milan in 1919, Rome in 1925 and Florence in 1929.

I suggest looking for a possibly hidden 800 mark, indicating the silver standard used by Mario Buccellati in his earlier pieces, or a hidden 925 mark for more recent silver.

Mario Buccellati's maker's mark was 15MI, meaning that he received the 15th mark for Milanese silversmiths, and should also appear on the piece if it is silver. If you don't find either mark, I guess I'd agree with an earlier post suggesting that it's merely a very ornate box, not made in silver, used for a gift from one of the Mario Buccellati stores listed on the box.

If you go to the Mario Buccellati website, there's a trove of information on the history of his company. Elsewhere on the web I discovered that he died in the 1960s and that, after his death, his sons ran the company together for a short time and then split off into separate operations.

Gianmaria Buccellati seems to have the largest presence with a full array of flatware, jewelry and gift ware and stores in many international locations.

Federico seems to have specialized in jewelry and kept the original store in Rome.

Lorenzo ended up with the original stores in Milan and Florence.

A fourth brother left silver and went into science.

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