ANTIQUE 20thC CARTIER ART DECO 18k GOLD & LACQUE BURGAUTE VANITY CASE c.1920

DESCRIPTION

Antique 20th Century extremely rare Art Deco 18k gold & Lacque Burgaute' vanity case, both sides set with rectangular Lacque Burgaute' panels, beautifully inlaid with shimmering mother of pearl depicting Chinoiserie inspired scenes. Hallmarked Cartier (this particular mark commonly appears on items retailed in the United States), year 1925-30, tested 18k gold (750 standard), comes in its original Cartier retail case.

For more information please see Hans Nadelhoffer, "Cartier: Jewelers Extraordinary", p.201: Cartier produced its first cigarette case inspired on 19th Century Chinese Mother of Pearl mosaics in 1913, and soon Louis Cartier started collecting mother-of-pearl lacquer that he used in his objects d'art. Mother-of-pearl was, from ancient times, valued for the multicolored shimmering tones of the thin, innermost layers - only the craftsmen of the later Ming and Ching periods used tissue-thin slivers to produce delicately shimmering effects. Mother-of-pearl has a magical authority within the Taoist scheme, and its colors were, for the Taoists, a token of eternity. The lacquers used by Cartier's in the 1920's were mostly taken from antique Chinese bowls, trays and tables.

CONDITION

In Great Condition - Just general wear.

SIZE

Length: 8cm
Width: 6 x 2cm
Weight: 145g