Fabulous antique late 19th century French powder jar or bonbon casket with original blown glass inner lining and framed in an Empire style reticulated & rich gilt or gold dore bronze encasement, making it into a lovely vanity top item, or part of your display and collection of portrait miniatures. The front of the box with two scrolling cornucopia's with flower & foliage. The inset portrait miniature is one for market, not the finest we've encountered, but she's lovely atop the casket but is unique in its grisaille or sepia style hand painted on a convex porcelain plaque, also unique is that it's a profile... No signature that I can see and I did not attempt to remove the porcelain plaque to see if there are markings, written or stamped/impressed, but it's always possible. A fine dressing table object, desk or writing table top bonbon casket or just the decorative beauty it is for the antique lover or Francophile in your life.
Very good condition, with one flaw to note: there is a 2" long hairline in the glass insert, on side, visible only if the glass is removed from its ornate dore bronze encasement, or if you turn it inside so it is not behind the dore bronze when inserted. We've shown it clearly in our images for your inspection. It's stable, not going anywhere (Isn't there a 'windshield doctor kit' that will work on these cracks like they do on my windshield dings? Surely it would make this perfect again). Other than that, there are no faults or flaws to note. A fine, if slightly flawed, rare large powder box, late 19th century, French.
