Fabulous antique French Napoleon III era pocket watch box, a marvelous little casket with kingwood & burled veneers, brass edging and inlays with malachite style accenting! Faux malachite but what a beautiful contrast with those strips of marbled green! 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 superb likely pocket watch box, casket. Entirely made in fine old box wood, then veneered in burled amboyna or walnut and kingwood, brass edging & cartouche and those wonderful faux malachite bands! 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. One of a few fabulous old pocket watch caskets that we're adding this week so, be sure to browse some while you're with us. Thanks!
While on the subject of fine antique boxes, by the way, I MUST mention to you a fabulous newly published reference book by our friend and customer, Genevieve Cummins of Australia. Over the past several years, Genevieve has been working on a masterpiece of a book, which we've just recently 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". Hot off the presses, it's got 429 delicious pages of boxes.
Very good condition. No exterior damage or loss other than that one thin brass strip missing from the front area of the lid. The interior would have had a small hinged tray to hold the pocket watch but it's been removed at some point. Clasp works great. See pictures for measurements.
