A place for everything, and everything gloriously in its place - and no excess is too much; that seems to have been the rule of the day. And the day was 1840-70s Napoleon III era, France, the birthplace and time for this superbly fitted jewelry chest or box. Entirely veneered in fine old burled maple or amboyna it appears, the lid framed in what looks like king wood and a shimmering mother of pearl cartouche in the center sans monogram! Just as elegant as can be. A fine example of the era, aesthetic, and immense allure these old pieces represent. Wildly popular in France and abroad, these glorious old cabinetry pieces proliferated in Napoleon III era France, and we reap the benefit of their popularity and appeal still today in those that survive. This one likely specifically crafted to hold a gentleman's jewelry ensemble including fittings for a pocket watch with long chain, cufflinks and more.
While on the subject of fine antique boxes, by the way, I MUST mention to you a fabulous reference book by our friend and customer, Genevieve Cummins of Australia. A few years back Genevieve completed her masterpiece of a book, which we received copies of. It's SUPERB! We're pleased to see our own shop noted in many of the pages, and to revisit so many exceptional antique boxes we've had over the years. Some of you who buy antique boxes from us might well see your own in there, as we did share our images often with Genevieve. Be sure to order it. The title is: "ANTIQUE BOXES, Inside and Out", 429 delicious pages of boxes.
Good to very good condition. The interior has some wear to the velvet's nap, likely a bit of loss to the raised partition bordering that hold the chain. The exterior really in great shape with no damage to the veneer but there are small sections of the rear lower edging that appear to have been filled. You can also see a slight space between lid and base on the left side of the box. The inside of the lid with an embossed maker or retailer mark, can't quite read it all but do see "Fabricant, 50 Rue du Fils St. Martin, Paris". Working lock with old skeleton key. See pictures for all measurements.
