Antique 1900 Paris Exposition “Électricité” Gilded Souvenir Box Fleur-De-Lis Embossed, Hand-Painted, Rare

Details

Description

A jewel from the dawn of the electric age, this diminutive round gilded box was created as a luxury souvenir … Read more A jewel from the dawn of the electric age, this diminutive round gilded box was created as a luxury souvenir for the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1900—the World’s Fair that introduced millions to the enchantment of electric light.

Across its domed lid, beneath curved glass, is a vivid hand-painted miniature of the Palais de l’Électricité, the Exposition’s most dazzling marvel. When this pavilion debuted, Parisians gasped: its façade was illuminated by 5,000 incandescent bulbs, fountains shimmered with colored light, and night itself seemed newly invented. Owning this box was like taking home a piece of the future.

The body is richly embossed with tiny fleurs-de-lis and starry rosettes, a tactile golden surface reminiscent of French royal objects. Inside, a mirrored lid and original gilded interior remain intact—once meant for pocket-sized treasures, today perfect for rings, pills, or a single special piece of jewelry.

Details & Notes
• French, 1900 – Exposition Universelle (Palais de l’Électricité)
• Hand-painted reverse-glass miniature under curved crystal
• Gilded brass with raised fleur-de-lis motif
• Original mirror inside lid
• Measures approx. 1.75” across (see photos)
• Wear consistent with age, including patina and surface marks, as expected for 124 years

This is a rare, museum-worthy piece of Parisian history — the kind of little object that turns a vanity, desk, or vitrine into a story. A treasure for collectors of Palais-Royal boxes, World’s Fair memorabilia, or anyone in love with Belle Époque Paris. See less