Antique Nécessaire de Voyage Dressing Case in Ebony with Foliate Brass Inlay, Belonging to the Viscount and Viscountess de Montreuil

This French antique 'Nécessaire de Voyage' dressing case dates from the mid-1840’s. Although unsigned, this example was very likely manufactured by Jean-Baptiste Casimir Aucoc and his son, Louis Aucoc Ainé. The box is veneered in Ebony, edged in brass, with ornately engraved recessed brass side handles. The top and front of the box have been inlaid with a brass perimeter border of delicately engraved foliate and scrollwork decoration.

The interior, lined with green leather, moiré silk and matching velvet, contains twelve cut glass bottles and jars with .950 hallmarked silver lids; the lids have been decorated with floral and foliate ‘bright cut’ engraving and finished with a Guilloché design.

A compartmented section sits beneath the tray of bottles and jars; within this section is a removable leather-bound cuff-link box lined with silk and velvet. Interestingly, there is a matching leather-bound card wallet containing three copperplate templates for printing personal calling cards. These calling cards belonged to the Viscount and Viscountess de Montreuil; one card is personally for the Viscount, one personally for the Viscountess, and the third is jointly for them as a couple.

A removable serpentine fronted, Ebony framed free-standing easel mirror is stowed within the lid section. The mirror is backed in solid Mahogany with a hinged fold-out brass stand and brass hanging ring.

The box has been fitted with a Bramah patent lock and comes with its original key. ... Read More