Exceptional Restoration-period casket in translucent white "bulle de savon" (soap bubble) opaline, named for the fiery iridescence that glows through the glass in the light. The urn-shaped casket rises on a pedestal foot, with a hinged lid mounted in gilt bronze and finished with a ribbon clasp.
"Bulle de savon" opaline belongs to the earliest and most admired period of French opaline, made in the decades after Napoleon's fall, under Louis XVIII and Charles X. When held to the light, the glass glows with a warm, fiery halo, a quality later opaline never quite matched. Early pieces like this were sold to an elite clientele in the luxury shops of Paris, and today they are among the most coveted examples of French glass.
A rare and beautiful piece for a vanity, vitrine, or opaline collection.
Dimensions: 6.5" by 3.5"
Origin: France
Material: Opaline glass with gilt bronze mounts
Era: Circa 1815–1830 (Charles X)
Condition: Antique; expected signs of age consistent with use. Please review photos for condition details.
