A Very Unusual and Large French Pink/Peach Opaline Floral Enamel Decorated Ormolu Mounted Box.
This large rectangular box is formed in an elongated octagonal shape with chamfered corners and a hinged lid. The body is crafted from pink to peach-toned opaline glass, its surface decorated with an overall diapered pattern of raised panels. Each recessed diamond panel is adorned with hand-painted enamel floral sprays, consisting of white petals tipped with blue and accented with green foliage. The decoration is consistently arranged across all surfaces, including the lid and sides, giving the box a uniform appearance. The lid opens on a hinge to reveal a polished opaline interior of the same peach tone, framed with a band of gilded ormolu.
A wide ormolu mount encircles the midsection, serving as both hinge and clasp support. This mount is chased with a repetitive foliate design, forming a textured surface that contrasts with the smooth opaline glass. The mount’s gilding provides structural reinforcement and adds a decorative metallic border between the upper and lower sections of the box. The hinge runs the full width at the back, while the front is fitted with a small clasp mechanism, discreetly incorporated into the ormolu banding.
Measuring substantially larger than typical decorative opaline caskets...
Category
1890s French Louis XVI Antique Manhattan - Boxes