Mid 19th Century French Uranium Opaline Scent Bottle, Hand-Painted Pont Neuf & Louvre Miniature, Gilt Mounts, Napoleon Iii, 3in

Details

Description

Vintage French Green Uranium Opaline Glass Scent Bottle with Hand-Painted Paris Miniature

A beautiful antique-style French green opaline glass bottle … Read more Vintage French Green Uranium Opaline Glass Scent Bottle with Hand-Painted Paris Miniature

A beautiful antique-style French green opaline glass bottle featuring a hinged gilt-metal lid with a hand-painted miniature Parisian scene beneath a domed glass cover. The miniature depicts the Pont Neuf over the Seine, with the Louvre Palace visible in the background.

The squat, rounded bottle is made of translucent apple-green opaline glass with a soft, luminous appearance. Under UV light, the glass fluoresces a vivid electric green, consistent with uranium-containing glass.

Decorative gilt-metal mounts add to its charm, including a beaded band around the foot, a chased arched pattern around the neck, and a foliate star-shaped ornament on the shoulder. The hinged lid features a scalloped bezel framing the miniature, making this a particularly distinctive piece of decorative glass.

No maker's marks have been found. The bottle is attributed to France, circa the mid-19th century (Napoleon III period), based on its style and construction.

Details

Origin: France
Period: Attributed to the mid-19th century, Napoleon III era
Glass: Green opaline glass, fluorescent under UV light
Miniature: Hand-painted Parisian scene beneath convex glass
View: Pont Neuf and the Palais du Louvre, as identified
Mounts: Gilt-tone metal, untested
Closure:Hinged lid with scalloped bezel
Height: Approx. 3" (7.6 cm)
Width:Approx. 2" (5 cm)
Marks:None found


Condition

Antique condition with visible age-related wear. The gilt finish is rubbed in places, particularly on raised areas, with small green deposits in recesses around the lid bezel. A discolored mark is present on the right shoulder near the foliate mount, the glass has fine surface scratches and a larger one on bottom .

The glass body is intact, with no chips noted on the foot, rim, or body. The green color remains strong, and the glass fluoresces under UV light. The hinge functions, and the lid closes . The painted miniature remains intact and visible beneath its glass cover, and all gilt mounts are present.

A threaded brass collar is visible inside the neck. No inner stopper is present; whether one was originally fitted is unknown.

Please review all photographs carefully for close-up details of the glass, miniature, mounts, and condition.

A distinctive collector's piece combining luminous green opaline glass, gilt-metal decoration, and a miniature Parisian landscape—ideal for collectors of antique French glass, scent bottles, and small decorative objets d'art. See less