Belle Époque Jewelry Boxes

Our truly extraordinary jewelry chest from Tahan of Paris, circa 1900, features a gilt bronze frame and lid with floral vine openwork revealing green colored glass inserts, and snake form handle decorated with clear and ruby colored faceted glass, raised on acanthus leaf feet. With cushioned, fitted interior, apparently original and marked by the maker, TAHAN A PARIS. 6 by 8 by 5.5 inches. The finest box of its kind from the Belle Epoque period we have ever seen. This prestigious firm's origins started with the cabinet maker, Pierre Lambert Tahan (1780-1844), in Spa, a small town of the Ardennes in Belgium, who left his hometown in 1804 to set up his “boxes and necessaries” factory in the Temple district. His son Jean Pierre Alexandre (1813-1892) was hence born in Paris and helped him as early as 1837, then took over the total direction of the company in 1844, his father ceasing all activity then. Following his father's passing, Jean Pierre Alexandre separated the studio on rue de Quincampoix from the shop in the rue basse du rampart. He developed the production of boxes, but also produced larger furniture items such as “bonheur-du-jour”, desks, and sewing tables. As early as 1845, he also began to advertise in the newspapers, a practice still very little used at the time. “Supplier of the King and Princes”, he won a silver medal at the Exhibition of Industrial Products in 1849 and became known as "the Prince of Small Cabinetmaking." In 1855, he was awarded the title of "Supplier of the Emperor" at the Universal Exhibition where he exhibited an extraordinary sculpted aviary. The Court commissioned indeed a large number of works, including rosewood planters, lounge tables for the Palais des Tuileries, and a cabinet in mahogany and gilt bronze for Napoleon III’s office. His shop migrated to 34 rue de la Paix (1849-1866), then 11 Boulevard des Italiens (1866-1878). In 1861, Tahan was thus designated as "one of those manufacturers who outstrip fashion and set the tone instead of following." (La Chronique des Arts et de la Curiosité). Indeed, he collaborated quickly with Julien-Nicolas Rivart...

Perfectly cleaned. Locks functional. Original keys (One key has a small crack on the central tube, but it is fine and can be fired normally).

Gently cleaned and polished.

Oak wood, copper applications. Perfectly cleaned and polished.

A Wonderful French bronze ormolu mounted and faceted cut crystal baccarat casket / jewelry box with domed top with handle.

Museum quality antique French "Belle Époque," gold bronze mounted blue enameled porcelain jewel box, Circa 1870-1890.

This is one of most remarkable jewelry boxes we have ever offered, in fact we have never seen anything quite like it. Paying incredible attention to every detail this certainly resembles a 3 mirror...

Le Tallec gilt and hand-painted Limoges porcelain brass mounted jewelry or trinket box, floral motifs, fully marked underside. Measures: 1.5" H x 3.5" W x 2....

This is a wonderful Le Tallec egg shaped box, which is decorated with elaborate raised gilding and gilt jeweling. Look at the pictures to see the intricate raised gilding decoration all over this egg shaped box. This box was decorated in the studio of Le Tallec in Paris. The Le Tallec studio was later incorporated into Tiffany and Company. This would be a wonderful addition to any porcelain box collector or any Le Tallec collector. You can also use it to store small jewelry pieces or for an accent piece on any table. Price of box-$595.00. Camille Le Tallec was born in Paris in 1906. In 1929, he graduated from the Ecole du Louvre. In 1930, he opened his studio in Belleville, Paris, which became the Atelier Le Tallec. At his studio, his goal was to paint his porcelain pieces beautifully like Vincennes or Sevres porcelains. Most of the Le Tallec boxes were decorated at his studio on Limoges porcelain blanks. His hand-painted porcelain creations were the highest quality. They sold to royalty like Queen Elizabeth, and other famous royalty in Europe, Morocco and the Middle East. In 1961, Le Tallec began to work with Tiffany and Company. Tiffany and Le Tallec porcelain...

This large well-cut cuboid shaped box is of a type much favored by retailers of luxury items in Paris at the end of the 19th century, (and earlier). It is cut with a delicate all-ove...

This is an outstanding Coalport jeweled box. This box is completely covered with turquoise jewels, which are applied to a gold ground except for the bo...

A wonderful French white opaline glass with ormolu bronze mounts and hand painting on all sides as well as the top, jewelry / vanity box.