RARE c1742 French Military Officer's Vanity Kit, Named: Advisor to King Louis XV

One from my own collection, this toilette kit has a wonderful story. Belonged to an advisor to King Louis XV, and his name is engraved on the cartouche along with the date "1742". Made for and used by Jean Baptiste Caquet d'Avaize 1700 - 1778. The set is in good used condition and is remarkably complete, as you can see. All pieces and the coffret or box have been cleaned and sanitized, and are museum quality, museum grade. You can see in the photos the condition of all pieces. The lock works and the key is original to this set. Measurements are noted on our photos for review. Three layers, 2 lift-out trays, and included are his boot pulls, his 18k gold trimmed and nabbed pen and pencil (in the slender round tube), an inkwell, his 2 razors and many more items. RARE to find a historied set we can ID and also to find one of these old sets in as complete form. Here is some of the story of this one, placing it in history: The year is 1742. King Louis XV is working his way from being a beloved ruler of France, to being the despot on whose shoulders lie the reasons the French Revolution occurred 35 years later and then, having assumed the rule of France (and the wrath of it’s populace) resulted in the beheading of his assuming grandson, King Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette, who ascended to the throne upon Louis XV's death in 1765 at the Palace of Versailles. In January of that year, Walpole resigned after a motion of no confidence by the House of Commons of Great Britain, after the rigging of the Chippenham by-election. (Somehow this week, it seems a fact I will work into the description). This ended his tenure as Prime Minister of Britain. In February, he was replaced by Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington. In April, Handel's Messiah is performed for the first time (Dublin, Ireland) in May, Frederick the Great’s army defeated the Austrians in Chotusitz, and Austria cedes Silesia to Prussia In July, British troops repelled those of Spain in the Battle of Bloody Marsh, in the War of Jenkins’ Ear. France’s armies retreated, toward year’s end, from Prague. It was an irreparable loss to France. "The year ended unhappily for France and her allies. In the North, the enterprise to which Sweden had been incited, without taking into account her real weakness, and without securing for her the indispensable cooperation of Turkey, had ended only in diddaster. Since a species of aristocratic republic had replaced the monarchical power, Sweden no longer possessed an army, and she had been induced to commit the folly of attacking Russia with militia. The Sweded, defeated in every encounter were compelled to evacuate Finland by capitulation (August, 1742). (Martin's history of France: The decline of the French monarchy, Volume 1) In December, the Pennsylvania Journal first appears in print in the USA (while our Founding Fathers wouldn'™t form a more perfect union for another 36 years, remember). Amid that history, some artisans in Paris created this really awesome antique box, the history of which will be thrilling to research. Commissioned and created in 1742 for French Brigadier of King Louis XV: Jean-Baptiste D'CAQUET Avaize, 1700 - 1778 King Louis XV Advisor, receveurdes salt tax, controller acts in Anse and his descendants.. Jean Baptiste Caquet d'Avaize 1700 - 1778, who married in 1730 to Marie Madeleine Creux de Trezette Ducreux lieux Thizy en Thone Alpes Our photos are large and clear. We do expect our customers to review them all, evaluate the item based on both our description and our images. Thanks for all the compliments - we love what we do! Antiques & Uncommon Treasure - all the best, all the time!