A RUSSIAN ORMOLU AND BLUE OPALINE GLASS BASKET

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VA… Read more

Opaline glass, which should more correctly be termed 'cristal d'opale', is formed from a type of lead crystal which is then coloured by the addition of other substances. 'Cristal d'opale' first appeared in the Empire period when the celebrated Baccarat factory was established. Baccarat rivalled and rapidly eclipsed the output of the English and Bohemian manufacturers, which until then had dominated the production of crystal glass. The taste for such coloured opalines was particularly marked in the Restauration period. The Journal des Dames et des Modes in January 1824 for instance remarked that 'On a donné aux dames, en cadeau de Jour de l'An, beaucoup de cristaux colorés en blanc laiteux dit opale; en rose dit hortensia, en bleu dit turquoise...'(S. Faniel ed., Le Dix-Neuvième Siècle Français, Paris, 1957, p. 126).

A RUSSIAN ORMOLU AND BLUE OPALINE GLASS BASKET

CIRCA 1870

Details

A RUSSIAN ORMOLU AND BLUE OPALINE GLASS BASKET
CIRCA 1870
The circular gadrooned body with foliate-cast rim and loop handle
5½ in. (14 cm.) high; 4½ in. (11.5 cm.) diameter

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

More from Important European Furniture, Sculpture and Carpets

View All