Would have been first sold through boutiques of the old Palais Royal, Palace of Cardinal Richelieu, and represents the finest luxury goods of its time, finest makers: Master silversmith PNB and 3 swallows, for Pierre-Noël Blaquière (inculpation date: 1803) with chest/interior created by Master, Augustin-Louis Cottin. Sterling silver with 18k gold vermeil; crystal jars, perfume bottles, inkwells; mother of pearl and ivory handles. Several references to other sets by these illustrious Paris makers, just for reference, pricing comps. Only this one we have is for sale in this offering.
Superb find! My own collection's finest, this c.1809-1819 Trousse de Voyage, "necessaire" traveler's vanity, sewing, writing compendium by several of the very finest artisans working in Paris in its time. I've found these coffret makers, silversmiths working together like this one in auctions from Sotheby's, Christie's, Bonham's and other auction houses and in museum collections. I've seen same in many museums, but I have to say, truthfully, this one is in finer original and complete condition than any I've ever seen. 12 1/4" wide (height 12 cm, width 31 cm, depth 22.6 cm. The total weight 3.565 kg - 8 lbs for shipping.
Excellent condition throughout for age and type. The finest Moroccan leather is gold-embossed and is exceptionally fine, The 18k gold 'vermeil' on silver on all pieces is remarkably intact, still thick layer without any tarnish or rubs to reveal the silver beneath. Elegant casket in heavy old burled wood is, itself, a work of art, and opens to such a wealth of implements, all in almost pristine condition:
All original parts are present:
Working lock, original key; jewelry compartment beneath 3 lift-out trays; several hidden compartments throughout.
In the box's perimeter top: 4 perfume bottles, 1 pair of cylindrical bottles, 1 pair of cylindrical covered jars, 1 pair of small square inkwells, a powder or talc jar or perhaps for snuff with sliding lid, a carved handle wax seal and blank matrix in the shape of a shield, an eye wash cup and a small funnel.
1st tray: ivory and toroids shell tools 2 perfect unused combs, 1 system nail kit, 1 tongue scraper (long), 1 mother-of-pearl needle, 2 brushes, 1 steel hook, ear wax spoon/toothpick combination tool.
2nd tray: 1 case containing ivory tools: a small crochet tambor/hook, a small steel hook to hang mirror from draperies, 1 perpetual calendar, 1 needle case, 4 small star-shaped silk winders, 1 thread spool, 1 dental scraper, 1 pair of steel scissors, 1 small scraper, 1 small corkscrew, 1 pen holder and pencil holder, self-enclosing, 1 sewing utensil which is unique, there to front of tray, which seems to be a small loom to make crochet string or perhaps wire mesh (4-curved prongs, holly body).
3rd tray: 1 letter opener in mother-of-pearl, 2 scrapers with mother-of-pearl handles, 1 pair of steel scissors, a folding rule in mother-of-pearl, a small perfume bottle in crystal and silver vermeil de chatelaine, a shuttle with mother-of-pearl thread, 1 folding knife with handle in mother-of-pearl, 1 mother-of-pearl lead case and 1 mother-of-pearl ruler.
Box: Exquisite solid burled wood, canted at corners. Some very small snags on the interior morocco, the mirror was replaced in the past, but still is on the original backing with easel stand; the silk ribbons forming pulls for each tray are replacements, professionally done.
Utensils: a stopper on one of the cylindrical bottles is broken (part stuck in the neck), a cork has to be replaced on the stopper of one of the small square ink bottles, a small chip on the point of the letter opener in mother-of-pearl and small oxidations of the steel parts.
IMPORTANT NOTE regarding antique tortoise shell or ivory: We are great supporters of protection for endangered species in our modern world. We never buy or sell anything 100 years or newer; we donate to anti-poaching organizations; we don't hunt; we conserve in ways that impact global warming (we're totally solar at home), knowing those measures also protect the animals in the wild today. We also recognize the vast cultural history we preserve with our care and reverence for these antique objects, and agree with CITES that objects over 100 years of age have nothing whatsoever to do with species depletion in our current world.
Our offering exceeds the age limitation of "more than 100 years of age", and is well within the exemption for CITES regulation. If imported, met the CITES regulation. This item will be handled and shipped from our Utah business, and is not available for shipment internationally, nor within the USA to California, NY, Nevada, Hawaii, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington if it contains ivory, sorry. Please see our small print for more details.
