French Antique Jewellery Box in Cuban Mahogany, by Martin-Guillaume Biennais

Dating from around 1810, this large antique jewellery box in Cuban mahogany takes the form of an elliptic cylinder. It is edged and inlaid with brass and finished with recessed radial brass handles. It bears the mark of Martin-Guillaume Biennais - regarded as the most accomplished Parisian goldsmith and cabinetmaker of his time, and manufacturer to Napoleon Bonaparte and the French Imperial Family.

The interior, lined with blue velvet and moiré silk, houses a secret floor that reveals a removable mahogany coin tray.

The lock plate is engraved with ‘Biennais - Orfèvre de S. M. l'Empereur et Roi - à Paris’.

The double-action lock has been fitted with a cloverleaf (tréfle) shaped drill pin and retains its original key. Its significance is reinforced by its use on the magnificent 1787 and 1791 ‘Nécessaire de Voyage’ boxes commissioned by Marie Antoinette. The cloverleaf form has sometimes been interpreted as a reference to the Christian Holy Trinity, although its precise significance remains uncertain. This unusual shape makes the lock extremely hard to open without its characteristic key, and further serves to add complication for any lock picker or locksmith with the unenviable task of key duplication.

Ref: DL353