19th Century Secret Decanter in Cut Glass, Embossed Leather & Wood, France, 1890s

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Secret decanter, carved glass, embossed leather, wood, late 19th century - France
Type: Decanter
Materials: carved glass, embossed leather, wood
… Read more Secret decanter, carved glass, embossed leather, wood, late 19th century - France
Type: Decanter
Materials: carved glass, embossed leather, wood
Period: Late 19th century
Country: France
Good condition commensurate with age and use
Closed dimensions: 15 x 20.5 x 14 cm
Open dimensions: 22 x 20.5 x 20 cm
Bottle dimensions (2): 11 x 7 x 4 cm
Glasses dimensions (4): 5 x 3.5 x 3.5 cm
Exceptional secret decanter camouflaged in a stack of books with bottles and glasses, from late 19th-century France. It takes the ingenious form of a stack of antique books, carefully bound in gilt leather with mock titles such as "Sainte Bible." More than a simple utilitarian object, it is a piece steeped in symbolism, intended to reflect discretion, optical illusion, refinement, and the ingenuity of the era.
Opening the false upper spine reveals a secret compartment housing two cut crystal liqueur bottles with original stoppers and four small glasses finely rimmed in gold. The interior layout reflects the tradition of so-called "caves à liqueur" or "bureaux de dames," highly prized in aristocratic salons and cultivated settings of the 19th century.
This type of decanter not only functions as an object of use but also as a symbol of cultural status and good taste. Its book-like shape directly evokes the world of knowledge, secrecy, and intellectual sophistication, making it a particularly attractive piece for collectors and historically sensitive interior decorators. See less