Fabulous & rare antique French Napoleon III era gilt bronze and kiln-fired Sevres style & champleve enamel ring tree & "vide poche" or jewelry dish with a marvelous gilded cherub or putti figure and wonderful condition! From enamelists working in the decorative arts community surrounding that of the old Sevres porcelain works or perhaps similar workshops of Bresse (Bressan). The processes are very much the same, really, and a dual-industry emerged in this distinct decorative style by the 1800s. They are NOT Manufactory du Sevres items, but from the village artisans, much as the enamels of Limoges emerge in the same village as later decorative porcelain work. The process is very similar, working with muddy porcelain 'slip' and then kiln-firing so that the finished decorative surface emerges upon melting. A very arduous and difficult process here, the emulsions are painted on copper plaques or panels, in this case just the larger dish, and one like this would have gone through numerous kiln-firings to achieve the finished product. Jeweled raised dots of thick enamel add a jewel-like feature. The main purveyor of these in 19th century was TAHAN, a luxury good purveyor and cabinetry shop, and quite regularly I find them still with an engraved lock plate noting TAHAN links. This with a unique addition of champleve enameling also an that gorgeous gilded cherub or putti, makes me think of Barbedienne works so this may be one of those but it bears no foundry markings. Perfect as a boudoir dressing table or even desk top decorative piece to accentuate a similarly enameled jewelry casket, inkwell or writer's set (of which we have a few fabulous pieces available so be sure to browse some while you're with us). Thanks!
Very good condition, age and materials considered. Just in from France and has no obvious chips, cracks or damage to the enameling. The hooks at the top for rings or jewelry are all intact except for the one at the back. See pictures for all measurements.
