Description

French Ormolu Mounted Red Tortoiseshell & Brass Inlaid Tea Chest 

From our Tea collection, we are delighted to offer this spectacular French boulle tea chest. The chest of rectangular form is mounted upon four scrollwork bronze ormolu feet with matching bronze ormolu mounts throughout the exterior edges. The panels are decorated with boulle work, a combination of red tortoiseshell and engraved brass inlay.  The tea chest opens from the front on an up-and-over type hinge revealing the vibrant green triple caddies set to the inside. The interior is lined in rosewood with brass fixings and has individual compartments to house three hand-cut opaline caddies in a vibrant green colour, two tea and one sugar.

The Tea chest comes complete with a working lock and key.

Rosewood has many variations. Indian Rosewood, also known as Bombay Rosewood or Bombay Blackwood, is found in India and Indonesia. It is highly valued for its striking appearance with colours ranging from a medium-brown to dark red-brown with even darker grain lines. Madagascan Rosewood, found in Madagascar is a pink-brown colour with a darker almost purple grain.

Boulle is a rich marquetry process or inlay perfected by renowned French cabinetmaker André-Charles Boulle (1642–1732). It involves veneering furniture with sheets of tortoiseshell which have been meticulously inlaid with brass and/or pewter in elaborate designs, often incorporating arabesques.

Ormolu is the technique of applying finely ground, high-carat gold–mercury blend to an object of bronze. The mercury is driven off in a kiln leaving behind a gold coating. The French refer to this technique as bronze doré and in English it is often referred to as gilt bronze. It is a finishing technique which adds an overall gold look to any object without the massive cost and impracticality of making an object out of solid gold. Mercury was outlawed in the 1830s in France however it was still used until the early 1900s.

Every purchase made from Mark Goodger Antiques is accompanied by a comprehensive suite of documents to ensure your satisfaction and peace of mind. This includes our latest catalogue, a Certificate of Authenticity, detailed care instructions for your chosen item, and an independent invoice for insurance purposes. Additionally, your purchase is protected by our no-hassle, money-back policy, and your item will be fully insured during the shipping process to safeguard against damage or loss.

If you are purchasing Tortoiseshell or Ivory pieces and are outside the UK you must have a CITES certificate in order to import the item into your country. We can obtain these on your behalf at a cost of £50 and these can take up to 30 working days to arrive at our office. Due to the strict exporting rules of these pieces, they may also come with further shipping costs. Please ensure you contact us prior to purchase for a quote.

Additional information