It seems incredible to me that a paper and glass box could have been kept so beautifully for hundreds of years. Fine chocolates box.1820-40, French Restauration to Louis-Philippe era confectioner's (confiseur) box, elegant, card, paper, embossed foil trim, and a lattice of white paper over glass making up the sides, and curved dome of glass up top with a silk flower held within - what a lovely old thing, mirror still on the inside of lid. The etiquette, or confectioner's price stamp is still on bottom this old one. Chocolate or cocoa, as a substance and flavor was introduced to Europe in the 1500s, and by the 1700s, was raised to a fine art in France. So much so, in fact, that by mid-1700s, confectioners and chocolatiers were having special boxes made just for the presentation of their concoctions, bonbons, chocolate delicacies. The boxes, which always attract me, range from tiny round ones in card/glass and with recess of seed pearls, earlier 1700s, and got larger as time went on, fancier. We've had some in finest tortoise shell, others with the maker's labels or engraved lock plate still in place - such as Boissier. We've sold some to the Boissier museum in Paris. The idea of these boxes was that it would be a lasting memento, reminder of the event of enjoyment of the chocolates and confections it held when initially sold. Whether as a jewelry box, or a desktop box, the memory of the gift and giver, as well as the expensive confections, it was a memory kept. Often a gift, such a presentation helps us understand how elevated was the experience of early candies, chocolates. Measurements noted on our photos. I've just bought several from an estate, so watch in weeks ahead for the others (sold separately).
Very good to excellent condition throughout on this one, really nothing I can point to as flaw, though signs of age here or there. Made of paper, age shows in a little loss to the paper here or there. Amazingly, no breaks in any of the glass sides, dome top or interior mirror. A little of the applied embossed foil trim didn't quite last 200 to 190 years, and corners show age. Still, for age and type, this one is in exceptionally fine condition, and no breaks anywhere. The interior sloped sides are, as noted, glass. From the outside, it looks like just the paper. Light will shine through that paper, as I've tried to show in a photo. Measurements noted on photos.
