BY CHARLES LE BASTIER (FL. 1754-1783), MARKED, PARIS, 1777/1778, STAMPED 844, WITH THE CHARGE AND DECHARGE MARKS OF JEAN-BAPTISTE FOUACHE 1774-1780

Charles Le Bastier was one of the leading Paris gold box maker of both the Louis XV and Louis XVI periods. Le Bastier became a master in 1754 residing rue Thévenot until his death in 1783. He worked for the marchand-merciers Garand and Granchez owners of Au Petit Dunkerque supplying both French and English fashionable clients explaining why Le Bastier's trade card was printed in both languages with the words in English 'Le Bastier "Makes and Sells Alls [sic] sorts of Golden Boxes and others - toys in the Newest fashion"' (H. and S. Berry-Hill, Antique Gold Boxes: Their Lore and Their Lure, London, 1960, p. 202).