Antique French Ormolu Triple Perfume Caddy Casket Cold Painted Gilt

Made during the Art Nouveau period circa 1880 and doesn't the wonderful design show it. Trailing Iris flowers and leaves, so very naturalist and organic. The very ethos of the Nouveau movement. The unique selling point of this spectacular caddy is the remains of the coloration to the flowers and foliage. Yes, a rare occurrence to find the cold painted gilt. Traces of wine colored red on the irises and delicate green on their leaves. Not enamel but a cold painted treatment very similar to cold painted bronze. You simply do not find this technique that often. A real rarity.

The caddy measures 5 2/8" to the top of the beautifully faceted stopper. Each tricorn, three sided shaped bottle is made from thick, opulent crystal glass with a cut smooth base. Each bottle wears a gilded metal collar with intricate chased designs. The stoppers are multi faceted with a delicate faceted neck. The three bottles are hand blown as they each have a slightly different neck size. Therefore the original droppers on the stoppers are three different sizes. The outer gilded metal caddy frame is superb. As mentioned the trailing floral design is very appealing. The circular base has the same repeated design as the collars. No makers or retailers mark to the base but this would have been sold by a top end Parisian retailer.

Condition is excellent. Please study our photographs. We do NOT digitally enhance them. We would not say perfect because this item is 150 years old. One would not expect absolute perfection otherwise one would suspect it could be a reproduction or a later example. Purchased from a French owner who had it her possession for many, many years. There are tiny tale tale signs of its vast age. Nothing serious or detrimental, signs that one should expect to see. No chips or cracks. A couple of pin head size flea bites to the facets on the stoppers. Please be aware that two stoppers have air bubbles in when viewed, they are NOT damage.The bottles have not be cleaned, there is dust inside them. The cold painting is a little faded to the flowers. To the underside of the base is the normal surface wear that one looks for in a piece of this age.

A stunning item, offered in stunning condition.................

Item ID: TA071106