Classical Carvings
I recently bought two large wooden comportes at auction. I loved the colour of the wood, the classical design and the quality of the carving, but I have no idea what they are for. Please could you shed some light on the intended purpose of these items and perhaps suggest what I could do with them in my own home?
I would describe these as tazzas – shallow bowls on raised feet used for displaying sweetmeats or fruit. They look as if they date from the 19th century and seem to be made from fruitwood. From what I can see, they have been turned on a lathe and ! nished with decorative "utes and ribs. They fall into a category known as treen – small wooden items, usually made by provincial cra #smen. The shape is sophisticated and echoes the classical silver designs of the late 18th century. These days, treen is highly collectable and as these tazzas are extremely decorative I would show them o$. You could use them as they were intended, for fruit or nuts, or to display small decorative items.