Description
Silver and Enamel Case
From our Silver collection, we are delighted to offer this rare example French Silver and Guilloche Enamel Travel Photograph Case. The case of slender rectangular form with rounded corners in the form of what looks like a traditional cigarette case. The exterior of the case is decorated with a large guilloche enamel panel with a purple to silver hue depicting a blossoming rose. Once the thumb tab is depressed and the case is opened it reveals a fold out photo frame with has a matching enamel panel with a circular frame to the centre beautifully engraved with bows. The interior of the photograph case is silver gilt and hallmarked 900 with a French silversmiths mark for LK with a cockerel. The French Silver and Guilloche Enamel Travel Photograph Case dates to the early 20th century and the late Art Nouveau circa 1910. Will fit a circular photograph with a 4cm diameter.
Guilloche Enamel
generally means a repetitive architectural patterns of intersecting or overlapping spirals or other shapes. It is a decorative technique in which a very precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into an underlying material via engine turning. Engine turning machines include the rose engine lathe and also the straight-line engine. This mechanical technique improved on more time-consuming designs achieved by hand and allowed for greater delicacy, precision, and closeness of line, as well as greater speed. This allowed the user to provide an extremely uniform pattern in a quick timeframe which was not possible by hand previously.
Art Nouveau
was an international style of art and architecture, especially the decorative arts. It was inspired by natural forms such as the curves of plants and flowers. Other characteristics of Art Nouveau were a sense of dynamism, movement and the use of modern materials particularly iron, glass and ceramics to create unusual forms. It was popular between 1890 and 1910 during the Belle Époque period and before the First World War. It was a reaction against the academic art, eclecticism and historicism of 19th century architecture and decoration.
ENAMEL (VITREOUS ENAMEL)
also known as porcelain enamel, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 °C. The powder melts, flows, and then hardens to a smooth, durable vitreous coating. The word vitreous comes from the Latin vitreus, meaning “glassy”.
SILVER GILT
is silver which has been covered with an exterior coating of gold.
Measurements
8 cm Long x 6.5cm Wide x 1cm High – 7cm High when opened showing photograph ( 3.15 x 2.56 x 0.4 – 2.76 Inches)
Condition
Excellent
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