A good question. Actually, I've been wondering about this for years.

First off, I confess I don't know what is is, either. I do have a few theories as to what it isn't.

I don't know if I'd call it a plaque. It looks like something framed. It looks to me like it's something flat mounted on a piece of brown paper. Or, perhaps, the image and brown background are printed together, as one? The reason I think it's flat is because it seems to throw no shadow within the frame. Notice how the frame itself has such depth that it casts a shadow on the wall. But whatever's within the frame casts no shadow - hence, the assumption that what-ever-it-is is flat. Also, it appears to be mounted asymmetrically - meaning that there's background space on the top and two sides, but it doesn't look like there's corresponding space along the bottom side.

It doesn't look like it's a "shadow box" - there would have to be more depth within the framed area for that.

So, what is it? It could be anything. It appears to have three areas, but while the overall shape seems roughly symmetrical, the image (?) itself doesn't appear to be. But, that's not to say it might not be something photographic, like fragments of a picture (pictures?) or something like that. Fragmentary photos that Vito saved, coming to America? The central image or images look like they're black and white. (A piece of snakeskin?) It doesn't look like it's any sort of document, or printed text.

One might think about what else is in the office, as far as decor. The painting over the mantel, other pictures, items, etc. And imagine, if you were Vito, what would be cherished or valuable to you? What would you want to be reminded of, or look at all the time? I think we can safely assume it would have nothing to do with "business".

Then again, look at it from the point of view of Dean Tavoularis, the designer: While a designer would seek to dress the set with items that would be appropriate and "fit", he would not want (nor would Coppola have approved) any one item drawing undue attention away from what was going on in the scene itself. A piece of scenery should never upstage the actors.

Dean Tavoularis is still alive, though he's 88 and recently sold his home in California. Don't know his present location or any way to contact him off the top of my head. If anybody would know, I would think he would - or maybe someone who worked as his assistant? Just guessing about all this.

To sum up - yeah, I've looked at the film over and over until my eyes ached and I still can't hazard a guess. You'd think that with all the HiDef-Ultra-Remastered-WhateverItIs versions that seem to come out every three weeks or so, we would finally be able to enlarge a screenshot and get a definitive answer, once and for all!


Signor V.