Lovely miniature Palais Royal-type casket in soft pale blue opaline, with a hinged lid and a chased gilt bronze band of laurel leaves around the middle.
French opaline glass flourished in the first half of the 19th century, when the great glasshouses, including Baccarat and Saint-Louis, created luminous colored glass for the Paris luxury trade. Small caskets like this were sold in the elegant shops of the Palais-Royal arcades to hold rings, pills, or love tokens, and the finely chased gilt bronze band is a hallmark of quality work of the period. Pale blue was among the most fashionable and refined of the opaline colors.
A jewel of a piece for a vanity, nightstand, or opaline collection.
Dimensions: 2.5" by 2"
Origin: France
Material: Opaline glass with gilt bronze mount
Era: Circa 1830–1870
Condition: Antique; expected signs of age consistent with use. Please review photos for condition details.
