French Cut Objets d'Art and Vertu

French tri-colored, red, green and yellow 18Kt gold pencil case decorated with applied classical lobes, swags and festoons of flowers. French rubbed mark, circa 1810 Width: 12 mm H...

A Rare Beautiful 19th Century Bacarrat Style Antique Hand Cut Hinged Lidded French Crystal Box Gilt Bronze Mounted Cut Crystal Box. The rectangular hinged lid and sides centering de...

A Rare Beautiful 19th Century Bacarrat Style Antique Hand Cut Hinged Lidded French Crystal Box Gilt Bronze Mounted Cut Crystal Box. The rectangular hinged lid and sides centering dee...

The Following Item we are offering is A Magnificent Beautiful Large French Pair of Empire Style Handcut Green Baccarrat Style Benito Diamond Cut Crystal Bronze Centerpiece...

Exceptional nacre sewing and writing case in gold, turquoise and nacre. This kit comes in the form of a daisy and opens in three parts revealing accessories. The lower part is remova...

Mellerio Paris, A Large Silver, Gold, Lapis Lazuli, Coral, and Hardstone Picture Photo Frame with Two Falcons. France, circa 2000 The frame resting on a lapis lazuli base with ...

Jaeger LeCoultre Art Deco clock measuring 8 5/8th by 7 1/8th inches, this is likely a one and only example of an Art Deco clock in polished stainless steel, with faceted pyramidal tr...

This striking Art Deco-era French box is crafted in steel (marked "ACIER") and features an elegant geometric design adorned with vibrant blue sapphires set in 18k yellow gold. The pr...

Fine handmade cut-crystal and ormolu cellaret with six perfume flasks and their stoppers embellished with geometric and rosette patterns. The gilt bronze rectangular tray is decorate...

A small Charles X ball notebook in mother-of-pearl and ormolu chiselled with flowers and flowery interlacings. Engraved in French "Souvenir", decorated with branches and Palais-Royal typical enamel flower on one face, and with simple branches on the other face. Il has its original paper pencil. French Palais...

Fine rectangular mother of pearl box engraved with garlands of leaves and gilt bronze mounts, finely chiseled with interlacing, garlands and flower basket resting on four winged lion...

Rectangular writing supplies case with a slightly tapered base and gold mounting.The gold panels of the case are decorated with mother-of-pearl. A button serves to open the hinged li...

Pâte de Verre octopus mounted in silver signed ALW (Almeric Walter),Nancy

The Following Item we are Offering is An Outstanding Museum Quality Handcut French 19th Century Sterling Silver Vanity Bointaburet Jewelry Box, stamped Sterling!! Original Price $15...

A Spectacular and Rare Antique Hand Cut Hinged Lidded Crystal Box from Switzerland, Circa 1900. Box is beautifully etched with Magnificent Grape and Vineyard Etchings around box. Me...

Jaeger LeCoultre Art Deco clock measuring 8 5/8th by 7 1/8th inches, this is likely a one and only example of an Art Deco clock in polished stainless steel, with faceted pyramidal triangular onyx alternating with vivid red (not orange), triangular hard stone. The circular center of the clock consists of polished and faceted onyx. The clock itself sits on a smooth onyx plinth...

The Following Item we are offering is a Rare French Cranberry Etched Glass Perfume / Liquor Bottle. Bottle is Etched with Clusters of Grapes and Beautiful Glass Ball Top. Beautifully done with Exquisite Detail. From a Rare New York...

Mellerio Paris, A French Gold, Diamonds, Silver-Gilt, Rock Crystal, Enamel, Emerald, Lapis Lazuli, Agate, Emerald, and Obsidian Polo Player, Carved Horse Sculpture, Jeweled Mounted Object. An extremely rare and unique, one of a kind French Carved Horse Sculpture, Jeweled Mounted Object sculpture "CHEVAUX DE LEGENDE", "A Legendary Horse" by Mellerio, Paris, circa 1999. Sitting on black obsidian base, the solid rock-crystal slab is finely applied with a carved obdisian hardstone horse and polo player, mounted in 18k gold, brilliant -cut diamonds, emaralds, enamel, lapis lazuli, and agate, .The obsidian base with a plaque engraved: CHEVAUX DE LEGENDE" / MELLERIO DITS MELLER PARIS / 5003 DIV The piece is in excellent condition and comes with a custom made wood case made for transport. It's very elegant and has French hallmarks throughout. A truly magnificent piece. Measures 12" high x 8" wide x 4" deep Founded in France in 1613 by the descendants of Italian immigrants from the Vigezzo Valley in the north of Italy, Mellerio is one of the oldest jewellery houses in Europe. The family business soon attracted the attention of the Royal Court and Marie Antoinette herself reportedly purchased a precious bracelet featuring 7 cameos surrounded by rubies in 1780. Later on, in the 19th century, Mellerio became the official supplier of the French Royal family and the Court of Netherland. Mellerio creates many jewellery items, all set with rare gems such as peridots, amethysts, aquamarines, citrines and topaz, applying for a patent, the flexible stem, a very supple and light jewellery mechanism. Mellerio remains also well known for their spectacular series of Art Nouveau jewels, created at the beginning of the 20th century, as well as for the creation of trophies rewarding some of the greatest footfall and tennis players of history. In 1993, the jewellery house launched their first watch collection. Today, Mellerio has stores in Paris, Japan and Hong Kong. July 14, 1789: this date is known throughout the world as the beginning of the French Revolution. According to a ledger belonging to House of Mellerio, this was also the day that the jeweler sold a golden key to the Comte de Coutance for 10 livres. This ledger, as well as inventories dating as far back as 1768, are the jeweler’s oldest archives. These archives have continued to grow over the years, as the House, established on rue de la Paix in Paris, still lives on today, still in the hands of the same family from Craveggia, in the North of Italy. The tumultuous history of the Mellerio family in France probably goes as far back as the Italian wars of the Renaissance, but the first official document proving their commercial activity in Paris dates back to 1613. This document is the famous royal warrant awarded by Marie de Medici to a number of Italian families established along the rue des Lombards, including the Mellerios, allowing them to sell “small jewelery items”, therefore granting them a small exception to the traditional monopoly enjoyed by Parisian jewelers. At that time, powerful corporations regulated the operations and customs of Parisian business, but thanks to this exceptional warrant, the Mellerios managed to escape the confines of this framework. Today, this wax-sealed document is kept at the city hall of Craveggia. From 1613 to the Revolution, the Mellerios lived between France and Italy. The corporations tried many times to put an end to their trade privileges, but all in vain, as a dynasty of sovereigns renewed the warrant. Always marrying and often retiring in Craveggia, the Mellerios continued to maintain their jewelry business in Paris. At first, they did this without a shop. Wearing backpacks (wooden boxes divided into small compartments where jewels were kept), they would tour town fairs around Paris and royal castles. This is how Jean-Baptiste Mellerio (1765-1850) is said to have sold a bracelet set with rubies and Antique cameos to Marie-Antoinette, which still exists today. Many elements seem to prove the veracity of this anecdote. The queen was particularly fond of cameos, which cover the entire background of her famous jewelry cabinet, and ruby was her favorite stone after diamond. The famous bracelet, reacquired a few years ago by the House of Mellerio, is indeed an 18th century jewel, set with antique cameos representing the profiles of Roman emperors. Two branches of the family were operating in Paris during this time, under the reign of Louis XVI: that of Jean-François (1746-1828), the paternal ancestor of the current Mellerios, and that of Jean-Baptiste (1765-1850). The French Revolution forced them to return to Italy. However, both Jean-Baptiste and François Mellerio (1772-1843), who was the son of Jean-François, were eventually able to return to Paris after the founding of the Consulate. Jean-Baptiste opened a shop at the Iron Crown of rue Vivienne, and François opened his at the Palais des Tuileries, rue du Coq Saint-Honoré. His well-organized order books give an idea of his high-ranking clientele during the “Old Regime”, among which were the Comte and Comtesse Octave de Segur, the Marquise (later Duchess) de Tourzel, former governess of the royal children, and her daughter, the Comtesse de Bearn, the Craufurds -who organized the flight to Varennes, the Duc and Duchess de Gramont, the Comtesse de Boigne, and Madame de Souza, Talleyrand’s mistress. We also see the names of the imperial family: Empress Josephine, the Queen of Holland, Princess Elisa, Caroline and Pauline. At that time, the House of Mellerio specialized, among other things, in the trade of antique cameos, a newly fashionable genre of jewel that captured the imagination of all the princesses and noble women of the time. The years of the Restauration and July Monarchy were among the most glorious. The Bourbons were back on the throne, and the clientele of the House of Mellerio had regained its former wealth. Mellerio supplied Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans, as well as his mother, wife and sister, with sumptuous jewels, including a set of emeralds made piece by piece, while the Duke of Bourbon, last prince of the House of Condé, offered diamonds to his mistress, the scheming Baronne de Feucheres, and Monsieur de LaFayette also bought cameos for one of his granddaughters. For the first time, Mellerio ventured into the world of arts in 1815, when Carlotta Grisi, a famous dancer who created Giselle, as well as an actress named Rachel, bought jewels at the Mellerio store on rue de la Paix. 1848 marked a new turning point. France once again became a Republic. François Mellerio handed the company over to his son, Jean, and the latter decided to travel to Spain to build a new clientele. He later became one of the jewelers of the royal family, and met Eugénie de Montijo, who remained a faithful client when she became empress of the French people. The Imperial years were lavish. During the Second Empire, Paris was a pageant of crinoline dresses designed by Worth, while jewels by Mellerio, Worth’s neighbour on the rue de la Paix, adorned the noble women of the Tuileries court. The Empress bought pearls. Mathilde Bonaparte...

A gold-mounted pendant with a mother-of-pearl medallion depicting the portrait of a young dandy on light pink background, framed with pearls. On the back, locks of hair attached with...