Lot Essay
The Parisian fondeur Victor Paillard is perhaps chiefly known for his fine silvered bronze casts of Sapho by James Pradier, one of the lasting images of 19th century French sculpture. In a career spanning more than forty years, Paillard exhibited at many of the major international exhibitions. With its 'N' monogram, it is quite possible that this finely-chiselled ormolu lock formed part of a suite of door furniture supplied by Paillard for one of the palaces of the Emperor Napoleon III.