Palais Royal boutiques of 18th to 19th century offered highest value home and travel goods, and also gifts and whimsical items like these egg-shaped mechanical caddies. Some held sewing tools inside, and others, like this one, held small scent bottles which are likely Baccarat contracted. You see the latch on the spring-loaded push-button finial top and it is working well, holds the 'egg' tightly closed. Two perfume flasks with hinged lids, one in brass and one in silver metal, likely .800/1000 pure silver. The base is an oval alabaster trimmed out in pressed brass. Complete and without chips or cracks in the shell halves, it's a charming one for collectors. Full measurements are noted on photos. We've shown items against colorful embroidery panels just to pull color and for ambiance, and those embroidered panels are not included.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type. Some darkening and very slight roughness to outer bottom rim of the alabaster base or plinth, there are no breaks to it or to the 2 halves of natural shell - high brilliant pearlescent shimmer of color on each side. The perfume flasks are quite even as to size and fit the openings perfectly, but they do have different caps. No breaks or chips to either, and it's not certain if these once had stoppers, but they do not at this time have stoppers. Very nicely preserved, indeed!
