Fabulous & rare antique French Palais Royal marked Napoleon III era kiln-fired enamel & 18k gold on silver "vermeil" perfume bottle or scent flask with delightful figural woman, & garden surroundings and in the original fitted storage and/or presentation box! What a beauty! We've had similar enamel pieces over the years, mostly in the form of opera glasses, etc. but this small perfume vial is quite rare, expecially given its near pristine condition and that it's in the original box! A paper label on the bottom of the box narrows it to the Palais Royal retailer of "L. Bouvigny, 21 & 22 Palais Royal". From the trinket boutiques of the mid-1800s Palais Royal, this Victorian era (c.1837-1870 on this one) survives to thrill us today as it once did the Grand Tour travelers, dignitaries and military officers and their ladies who strolled the upper-crust promenade of the gardens of the old Richelieu Palace. The boutiques remain today, as does the Palais Royal, much as they looked then, though a recent upgrading and expansion of larger anchor stores has taken some of its inherent charm away. The elegant wares sold there included the most stunning work of silversmiths, goldsmiths and jewelers, of glassmakers and ceramists. One could buy the finest of fabrics, clothing, and also trinkets and thrilling small decorative objects. A fantastic piece here, don't miss it!
Very good to excellent condition. Possibly a minuscule hairline in the enamel but I see no larger cracks or damage to note and it does have the original stopper. As you can see, the box is also near pristine. See pictures for all measurements.
