Building a Centerpiece The Contatoio of the Salviati of London, Merchant Bankers, as Seen Through their Accounts (1445–1465)

An important Florentine family, the Salviati set up a manufacturing, commercial and financial conglomerate extending across Europe. The company expanded into northwestern Europe, opening branches in London and then Bruges in the 1440s. In the accounts of the London company there are many entries concerning the house. One of the most important improvements is the construction of a room dedicated to accounting, the contatoio.