AN ORMOLU-MOUNTED BERCY GLASSWORKS (JEAN-ALEXANDRE PARIS) CUT-GLASS MUSICAL SEWING CASKET AND COVER (COFFRET A COUTURE)

CIRCA 1830, THE GOLD MOUNTS WITH POINÇON (HALLMARKS) FOR 1819-38

Details

AN ORMOLU-MOUNTED BERCY GLASSWORKS (JEAN-ALEXANDRE PARIS) CUT-GLASS MUSICAL SEWING CASKET AND COVER (COFFRET A COUTURE)
Circa 1830, the gold mounts with poinçon (hallmarks) for 1819-38
Rectangular, with gilt-bronze mounts and handles, the lid centering an enameled gold foil inclusion depicting a maiden kneeling to inscribe a tree with the sentiment Pensez a moi, surrounded by strawberry diamond cut panels, the embroidered interior needlework removable tray set with gold mounted accoutrements including a pair of scissors, two bobbins, two spools, a fitted etui and cover, a needle, a glass flask with gold top and a thimble, above a Swiss cylindrical sectional comb music box that plays two airs and a matching key
9 in. (22.8 cm.) wide, overall

Exhibited

D. Tarshis, Objects of Fantasy: Glass Inclusions of the Nineteenth Century, The Corning Museum of Glass, New York, 2001, p. 126-127, no. 70.

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Lot Essay

At the time of cataloguing, two comparable but unfitted Bercy Glasswork caskets are known. One is in a private European collection, the second is located at The Corning Museum of Glass. The Corning ovoid example was likely designed as a cave d'odeur and would have held perfume bottles.

By 1833 Bercy Glassworks had joined Baccarat, Saint Louis and Choisy-le-Roi in a marketing trust formed by Launay, Hautin et Cie.

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