Monumental Louis XIV Style Gilt-Bronze Mounted Boulle Marquetry Casket Box

A Monumental Louis XIV style French gilt-bronze mounted wood boulle marquetry casket box, circa 1895

Known in French as a carré de toilette, this casket has canted corners with lavish gilt bronze-mounts and is richly decorated with boulle marquetry Named for André-Charles Boulle (1642–1732), cabinetmaker to Louis XIV, who excelled in this technique, the marquetry features strap-and scrollwork with rich gold, green and red inlays. Similar caskets are depicted in Jean-Marc Nattier’s portrait Madame Marsollier and Her Daughter (1749).

With a hinged lid opening to reveal a red velvet lined storage compartment, and original key.

This casket box is currently lined with velvet, however, this can be also re-constructed to be used a cigar humidor.

This casket is part of a larger group of similar caskets and they were all clearly prized by sophisticated collectors in the first part of the 18th century. A portrait by Jean-Marc Nattier of Mme. Marsolier and her daughter in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, shows the former holding a related box, while on her dressing table lies another similar one.

There were certainly several different workshops producing these caskets. Three caskets with almost identical mounts to each other -- although with varying surface decoration. While some caskets were simply designed with 'Boulle' marquetry of tortoiseshell and metal inlay, the present casket, like all of those mentioned above, has the addition of the tinted horn, whose dazzling colors so obviously delighted the 18th century connoisseurs.

Measures: 12" high x 32" wide x 23" deep.

Very good condition, no damages noted. Presents very well. There are 2-3 minute minor areas of boulle inlay missing.