This type of object is characteristic of the production of eighteenth-century marchands merciers, such as Lazare Duvaux, Dominique Daguerre and the Juilliot family. Working with imported materials and composite elements, notably Japanese lacquer and Saxon porcelain, these merchants commissioned gilt-bronze mounts to adapt such objects to the tastes and fashions of their time.
The bouillon bowl consists of a pot, its lid and a saucer. Each piece features a painted decoration depicting gallant scenes. The lid and the two handles are embellished with flowers and scrolling foliage in applied relief decoration.
This piece illustrates the diversity of tableware in the 18th century, fostered by the development and refinement of gastronomy. Dishes became more varied and sophisticated, and their presentation and consumption became an occasion for elaborate staging, imbued with a certain sense of theatricality.
This glass bottle contains a composition made primarily from various materials, including wax and cut paper. This type of object is known as a “Passion bottle” because it contains the Instruments of the Passion of Christ, also known as the Arma Christi. Among them are the cross, the nails, the rooster, the ladder, the column of the Flagellation, and others.
This work belongs to a tradition of folk art in which boatmen and bargemen carefully crafted these votive objects (ex-votos) as a gesture of thanksgiving for a fulfilled vow, often related to the hazards and uncertainties of navigation. These objects were frequently placed in small shrines located in chapels, homes, or even in the cabins of boatmen.
This bonbonnière is decorated on its glass section with engraved flowers. The gilt-bronze mount raises the bowl on four feet and features a naturalistic design inspired by bamboo. On the inner part of the mount, the impressed mark “MAISON ALPH. GIROUX PARIS” can be found.
A set marked “Creil et Montereau,” known as the ‘Japan’ model, also referred to as the “Monet” set because this design was found in Claude Monet’s home in Giverny. His love for Japan was even reflected in his dinnerware.
This design was created in 1876 and produced until approximately 1929. The blue-and-white decoration features alternating floral medallions along the rim of the plates. The center is adorned with branches of flowering plum trees, chrysanthemums, and cherry blossoms.
This object was associated with the funerary traditions of the clergy and nobility and was intended to hold the heart and other viscera, which were subsequently buried in churches or chapels. If such boxes were later repurposed towards the end of the 18th century, this was precisely due to the evolution of these funerary practices. This may explain why they are sometimes referred to as “tobacco boxes” or “pigment boxes.”
A lacquer tray, fitted with a gilt-bronze mount, supports the various elements, which are secured to it by small rivets. Among them is a Chinese dignitary figure in famille verte porcelain, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662–1722). Two porcelain bird whistles, in the form of reclining boys with their heads raised and supported by their hands, are also present. The details of their floral robes are highlighted in red, blue, green and black enamels. Circa 1700, Japan, Arita kilns.
Letter Holder
Vienna bronze letter holder depicting an Irish Setter resting on a base simulating a patch of green grass.
This desk accessory operates by means of a spring mechanism which, when pressure is applied to the dog’s neck, opens its mouth, allowing papers, letters, business cards, and other small documents to be inserted.
Pair of Chinese porcelain cats, depicted seated, with white coats marked by black spots. Both figures display a compact, naturalistic form, characteristic of animal representations in Chinese decorative arts. The treatment of the bodies, the seated posture, and the contrasting rendering of the coats give these sculptures a presence that is both decorative and expressive. In Chinese culture, the cat is notably associated with notions of protection and safeguarding the household.
A set of three animal sculptures depicting seated lions/dogs on a rectangular base with chamfered corners. The treatment of the fur is executed using the “filé paste” technique, creating an abundant relief of curling strands. The decoration is characterised by a white glaze, enhanced with touches of blue and green.