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Lot Essay
This casket is part of a larger group of similar caskets and they were all clearly prized by sophisticated collectors in the first part of the 18th century. A portrait by Jean-Marc Nattier of Mme. Marsolier and her daughter in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, shows the former holding a related box, while on her dressing table lies another similar one.
There were certainly several different workshops producing these caskets. Three caskets with almost identical mounts to each other -- although with varying surface decoration -- were sold Christie's, New York, 21 October, 1997, lots 19-21. The casket from the Wildenstein Collection, sold Christie's London, 14 December 2005, lot 14, was also from the same workshop. While some caskets were simply designed with 'Boulle' marquetry of tortoiseshell and metal inlay, the present casket, like all of those mentioned above, has the addition of the tinted horn, whose dazzling colors so obviously delighted the 18th century connoisseurs.
There were certainly several different workshops producing these caskets. Three caskets with almost identical mounts to each other -- although with varying surface decoration -- were sold Christie's, New York, 21 October, 1997, lots 19-21. The casket from the Wildenstein Collection, sold Christie's London, 14 December 2005, lot 14, was also from the same workshop. While some caskets were simply designed with 'Boulle' marquetry of tortoiseshell and metal inlay, the present casket, like all of those mentioned above, has the addition of the tinted horn, whose dazzling colors so obviously delighted the 18th century connoisseurs.