+France 1865 Etruscan Revival Ormolu Jewelry Box Case With Cloisonne Champleve Enamel
Beautiful French champleve cloisonne jewelry box.
An antique storage jewelry box case, made in Paris France during the Napoleon III, third empire period, circa 1860's. This magnificent highly decorated case, was crafted in solid ormolu bronze with rich 24 karats gilding and embellished, with applications of cloisonne enamel, (Champleve, a French ancient technique) with a degrade of black, white, blue and gray colors.
The craftsmanship is very impressive, with intricate details in the Etruscan revival style depicting geometric patterns and decorations. Mounted in four ormolu legs individually screwed to the main body.
The top of the lid is mount with an oval thick beveled mirror and the sides, with four oval open windows in beveled glass.
It is pretty large, with a measurements of 11.5 by 8.75 by 7 inches (292.5 x 222.5 x 178.4 mm).
Champleve or Cloisonné is an enamelling technique in which the pattern is formed by wires soldered to the surface of the object to be decorated, which is usually made from copper, forming cells or cloisons, each of which holds a single colour of enamel paste which is then fired, and ground and polished. The champleve technique also uses an enamelling technique, but the cells are formed by carving into the surface ot the object, or in the casting. The cloisonne technique has been in use since the 12th century BC in the west, but the technique did not reach China until the 13th or 14th century. It became popular in China in the 18th century. Initially bronze or brass bodies were used, and in the 19th century copper, at which time the quality of th eitems produced began to decline. Chinese cloisonné is the best known enamel cloisonné, though the Japanese produced large quantities from the mid-19th century, of very high technical quality. In the west the cloisonne technique was revived in the mid 19th century following imports from China, and its use continued in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods.
The interiors have the original quilted blue silk from the stated period and is in impeccable perfect condition, with no dents, marks or chips.
INVENTORY REF: P0000RENX/.1111
