Gold Desk Accessories

Mughal ladies Tom Pouce lighter designed by Cartier. Fabulous and extremely rare ladies cylindrical gasoline lighter. Created in Paris during the art deco period by the house of Cartier, back in the middle of the 1920's. This miniature Tom Pouce lighter, takes its name from the classic short fairy tales by the Grimm's brothers, Tom Thumb (Tom Pouce being the French translation). It was crafted with Champlevé colored enamels over rustic bronze and accented with details in yellow gold of 18 karats. Embellished with natural lapis lazuli and an emerald. The main outside body is decorated with organics elements and figures of red and blue birds. Gorgeous look and surely a great conversation piece which is accompanied by the round Cartier red box. Champlevé, in the decorative arts, is an enameling technique or an object made by the champlevé process, which consists of cutting away troughs or cells in a metal plate and filling the depressions with pulverized vitreous enamel. The raised metal lines between the cutout areas form the design outline. Emerald: Accented on top in a bezel setting, with 1 square faceted cut of a natural green emerald of about 0.15 carats. Lapis: Mount with 1 flat round cabochon cut, carved from lapis lazuli of about 1.25 carats. Birthstone: Emerald for the month of May. Weight: 21.95 Grams, (14.07 Dwt). Measurements: Have a diameter of 16 mm and a height of 33 mm (0.63 x 1.30 Inches). Hallmarks Stamped with the maker's mark, the serial numbers, the French taxation mark for luxury items BL inside a rectangular cartouche and signed, "CARTIER 5554", stamped with matching cases numbers, 13 & 13. Ministere Des Finances Lighter Tax 1911-1945 Note: On 10th December 1910 the French state adopted a new tax regulations on all devices indented to produce spark or fire by friction, or by any other means, and of the combustion of a flammable substance. Since 1st January 1911 every lighter in France that was intended for sale in the French market had to be taxed and adequately marked. To confirm that the excise duty was paid to the Ministry of Finance a special duty metal plate (stamp) was attached (usually welded) to the lighter by the lighter manufacturers. The fees charged by the French state were high but the tax rates levied by the state were varying depending on the type and finish of the lighter. Following tax rates were used: 2 French francs for common pocket lighters, 5 Fr for pocket lighters made of silver, 20 Fr for luxury pocket lighters (e.g. made of gold), 5 Fr for common table/desk lighters (over 10 cm), 10 Fr for table/desk lighters (over 10 cm) made of silver, 50 Fr for luxury table/desk lighters (over 10 cm) made of gold or platinum. Between 1911 and 1916 a simple copper plate was used which had the date 1911 engraved. Later, between 1916 and 1945 a new plate (undated) was introduced with the letters "C" and "I" (stands for indirect taxes) and a profile of Mercury (patron god of financial gain, commerce and messengers) with an inscription "Ministère Des Finances" (eng. Ministry of Finance). Two shapes were used for the plate – oval for table lighters, the other one for pocket lighters. Additional to the two duty plates a marking "BL" (Briquet de Luxe, eng. luxury lighter) was introduced in 1926. It was a small hallmark which was considered as more discreet and applied only on luxury lighters like Quercia or Lancel. It is worth to mention that France was not the sole country where lighters were taxed and marked with special plates...

Fabergé Style Russian Officer Figure in Nephrite, White Jade, Red Jasper, and Agate with 24k Gold. Presenting a Fabergé Style Figure of a Russian Officer, fashioned from Nephrite whi...

Desk tray designed by Marchak Paris. An unusual and very rare desk tray, created in Paris France by the luxury house of Marchak during the art deco period, back in the early 1920. T...

A desk clock designed by Tiffany & Co. A beautiful elegant desk clock, created in New York city by Tiffany & Co. during the art deco period, back in the 1928. This stunning piece ...

A desk clock designed by Cartier. An impressive and beautiful desk clock, created in Paris France by the house of Cartier, during the art deco period, back in the 1920. This stunning rare piece has been designed with Chinoiserie patterns and carefully crafted up with parts in yellow gold of 18 karats and carved nephrite green jadeite jade. Accented with applications of navy blue enamel and fitted on top, with a hinged retractable handle. The movement is mechanical It is accompanied with the associated original key for the winding. The dial is silver with guilloche, Roman numerals with gold hands and inscribed, Cartier. Weight: 320.95 Grams, (205.74 Dwt). Measurements: 69 mm by 31 mm by 78 mm (2.72 x 1.22 x 3.07 Inches). Hallmarks: Stamped with French marks, five times with the head of the eagle for the assay and guaranty of the gold, two times with the maker's mark JM inside of a lozange cartouche and signed on the reverse, "CARTIER 1649". Literature: Olivier Bachet & Alain Cartier, Cartier Exceptional...

Large, Edwardian-style, sterling silver, bell-form inkwell, Birmingham, England, year-hallmarked for 1927. Maker's mark is rubbed. Measures: 5 inches high x 4 1/2 inches diameter (at...