-Strauss Allard et Meyer Paris 1926 Lacquered Art Deco Case In .925 Sterling Silver

Enamel case designed by Strauss-Allard et Meyer for George Stockwell

Exceptional art deco rectangular case, created in Paris France at the jewelry workshop atelier of Strauss Allard et Meyer, back in the 1925-1926. This piece has been carefully crafted in solid .925/.999 sterling silver with gilt interiors. It is decorated with geometric chinoiserie motifs typical from the period and embellished with applications on both sides of vivid red-orange lacquer. This beautiful box was made with chamfered edges and is fitted with an eight barrel hinge, a push lock and a hinged barrier with a spring. It is in mint condition with no trace of use or wear and can be easily used as a luxury presentation cards-box or as a very high end cigarette-case.

Weight: 111.95 Grams, (71.76 Dwt).

Measurements: 87.63 mm by 63.5 mm by 19 mm (3.45 x 2.5 by 0.75 Inches).

Hallmarks: All parts are stamped with French and British marks; the Parisian maker's mark SAM associated to Strauss Allard & Meyer and the French national mark for the assay of the silver. In addition, three times with the British import mark for London, the importer sponsor mark GS associated to George Stockwell, the letter L for the importation and assay date of 1926, two times with the mark .925 for the assay of the silver and two times with the serial numbers 4650.

Strauss-Allard et Meyer

Strauss, Allard et Meyer, in Place des Vosges, were one of the most successful of the Parisian Art Deco workshops, specializing in luxury vanity cases and boxes, many of which were in the 'chinoiserie style', The offices were located at 25 of the rue Taitbout. The workshop at the 19 of rue Louis-le-Grand & later in 11 place des Vosges, Paris France. Their specialty was Boxes, paper-cutters, lighters and Ojects de Vertu. In 1909 Jean Gustave Maurice Allard & Emile Meyer opened the firm, Designing creations for the major Parisian luxury houses such; Cartier, Janesich, Lacloche Frères, Hermes and Boucheron. In 1919: Raphaël Strauss joined the firm. In 1941 Mr. Strauss takes refuge in the US with his shares of the company. In 1949: Allard sold the company to Jean Meyer, Emile’s son. The mark SAM was struck and registered since 1919 to the 1941.

George Stockwell & Co.

Stockwell & Company were carriers and shipping agents with their head office at 16 to 18 Finsbury Street, in London, with many depots around the UK. They were part of a European wide network of shipping agents called Messageries Nationales. Stockwell & Company company was founded in the nineteenth century and became a large and company moving good around Britain and, through Messageries Nationales, across the continent. They were used by many Swiss watch manufacturers to transport watches from Switzerland to Britain. In 1907 the British law changed to require that all imported gold and silver watch case be assayed and hallmarked. Many Swiss manufacturers did not have offices in Britain and could not organize this themselves, so Stockwell & Company registered with several assay offices in order to submit items for hallmarking on behalf of their customers. Stockwell & Company did not own the goods, so they were not importers in the strict sense of the word but acted as “Assay Agents” for their customers. Stockwell & Company were not manufacturers and never made watch cases, or assembled, imported or sold watches. Stockwell and Company were carriers who acted as British assay agents for Swiss case makers and goods. Watches are often advertised with the description saying something like this example; The movement is Swiss and the case is silver, the watch was assembled and made by George Stockwell for Stockwell and Co Ltd in 1914. This error is caused by the mistake of calling the sponsor's mark a “maker's mark” leading to the false assumption that it identifies who made an item. Watch cases made in Switzerland were stamped with Stockwell & Company's registered sponsor's mark before transported to Britain and sent to an assay office to be hallmarked and then returned to their makers in Switzerland or other countries.

Collateral: It is accompanied by a presentation jewelry box.

Condition: The overall condition of this box is impeccable, with absolutely no trace of wear. All parts are secured in the settings. This piece has been carefully inspected to guarantee the condition and authenticity.

INVENTORY REF: D092123MAEN/3.319