Mid-19th Century French Banded Agate and Ormolu Jewel Casket, Miniature

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Mid-19th Century French Banded Agate and Ormolu Jewel Casket

A refined French banded agate and gilt bronze (ormolu) rectangular jewel … Read more Mid-19th Century French Banded Agate and Ormolu Jewel Casket

A refined French banded agate and gilt bronze (ormolu) rectangular jewel casket, mid-19th century, of hinged form with conforming faceted panels of translucent brown and white agate framed within chased and textured ormolu mounts. The casket rests upon four spherical agate feet, each delicately veined in striations of white, gray, and chocolate brown, joined to short tapering ormolu supports of turned baluster form.

The top panel exhibits beautifully banded agate in rich tones ranging from smoky amber to pale cream, cut to highlight the natural concentric layering of the stone. The gilt bronze mounts are hand-chased with a fine herringbone border pattern and corner finials, typical of the exquisite craftsmanship associated with mid-century Parisian lapidary work. The interior is plain, lined with polished agate panels, revealing the precision joinery and meticulous cutting of the stone.

Such boxes, often retailed by high-end jewelers in Paris and London, were luxury souvenirs of the Grand Tour, drawing upon the traditions of pietra dura and hardstone carving celebrated in both French and Russian decorative arts. The harmonious interplay between the warmth of the agate and the brilliance of the gilded metal embodies the refined Neoclassical sensibility prized by connoisseurs of the Second Empire and Victorian eras.

Measurements: 3 in w x 1.625 in d x 1.625 in h. See less