拍品專文
This nécessaire dentaire was reputedly acquired by Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild's grandfather from a soldier who took it from the baggage train of Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo in 1815.
Napoleon had several nécessaires de voyage for his hygiene, his eating and writing needs. Most of them were made by Biennais, although there were competitors who could produce similar work. This particular nécessaire, of outstanding quality, with the box ornamented with trophies of the Art and Sciences in the 'antique' manner, reflects the influence of Charles Percier, the Emperor's architect, who is known to have provided Biennais with designs.
Martin-Guillaume Biennais (1764-1843), settled in Paris 1789 and started as a furniture maker before becoming goldsmith by appointment to Napoleon I and to the principal monarchs of Europe. Biennais was best known for his nécessaires made for various purposes of the most unusual and luxurious materials, holding perfectly proportioned tools and containers. He eventually turned his attention to the design and making of silver, although still occasionally supplying furniture to the Emperor.
The contents of the nécessaire are unusual in the absence of certain implements such as levers, which are normally expected in a dental set, and the presence of others such as lancets for bleeding and cauteries for burning closed wounds, used for more severe medical treatments. The tools that would complement the set are generally larger pieces that would not easily fit in a box of this size. This would indicate that there possibly was one further nécessaire, to complete the set.
A closely related travelling writing-box that belonged to Jérome-Napoléon Bonaparte by Biennais was sold from The Calvin Bullock Collection in these Rooms, 8 May 1985, lot 95 and a related necéssaire de voyage by Biennais was sold anonymously at Sotheby's, Monaco, 20 February 1988, lot 1190
A related nécessaire de voyage, supplied by Biennais to Princess Pauline Borghese, favourite sister of Napoleon I, probably assembled 1803-1804 and not unlike Napoleon's nécessaire dentaire, contains items of silver-gilt, glass, mother-of-pearl and other materials for the toilette, meals and writing. The nécessaire is illustrated in the National Art-Collections Fund Review, 1987, p. 106 and is now in the Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh. Two related nécessaires by Biennais supplied to Napoleon circa 1809 were exhibited in the Galeries nationales du Grand Palais, Paris, and are illustrated and discussed in the 'Cinque Années d'Enrichissement du Patrimoine National 1975-1980', 15 November 1980 - 2 March 1981, Exhibition Catalogue, Paris, 1980, pp. 157-9, no. 134 and 135
Napoleon had several nécessaires de voyage for his hygiene, his eating and writing needs. Most of them were made by Biennais, although there were competitors who could produce similar work. This particular nécessaire, of outstanding quality, with the box ornamented with trophies of the Art and Sciences in the 'antique' manner, reflects the influence of Charles Percier, the Emperor's architect, who is known to have provided Biennais with designs.
Martin-Guillaume Biennais (1764-1843), settled in Paris 1789 and started as a furniture maker before becoming goldsmith by appointment to Napoleon I and to the principal monarchs of Europe. Biennais was best known for his nécessaires made for various purposes of the most unusual and luxurious materials, holding perfectly proportioned tools and containers. He eventually turned his attention to the design and making of silver, although still occasionally supplying furniture to the Emperor.
The contents of the nécessaire are unusual in the absence of certain implements such as levers, which are normally expected in a dental set, and the presence of others such as lancets for bleeding and cauteries for burning closed wounds, used for more severe medical treatments. The tools that would complement the set are generally larger pieces that would not easily fit in a box of this size. This would indicate that there possibly was one further nécessaire, to complete the set.
A closely related travelling writing-box that belonged to Jérome-Napoléon Bonaparte by Biennais was sold from The Calvin Bullock Collection in these Rooms, 8 May 1985, lot 95 and a related necéssaire de voyage by Biennais was sold anonymously at Sotheby's, Monaco, 20 February 1988, lot 1190
A related nécessaire de voyage, supplied by Biennais to Princess Pauline Borghese, favourite sister of Napoleon I, probably assembled 1803-1804 and not unlike Napoleon's nécessaire dentaire, contains items of silver-gilt, glass, mother-of-pearl and other materials for the toilette, meals and writing. The nécessaire is illustrated in the National Art-Collections Fund Review, 1987, p. 106 and is now in the Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh. Two related nécessaires by Biennais supplied to Napoleon circa 1809 were exhibited in the Galeries nationales du Grand Palais, Paris, and are illustrated and discussed in the 'Cinque Années d'Enrichissement du Patrimoine National 1975-1980', 15 November 1980 - 2 March 1981, Exhibition Catalogue, Paris, 1980, pp. 157-9, no. 134 and 135