Antique 1st Empire French Chocolatier's Box, Confectioner's Chocolate Casket, c.1800-1810
An early one, c.1800-1810, French Empire, Napoleon era confectioner's box, petit and elegant, card, paper, embossed foil trim, eglomise glass top with mirror inside. Chocolate or cocoa, as a substance and flavor was introduced to Europe in the 1500s, and by the 1700s, was raised to a fine art in France. So much so, in fact, that by mid-1700s, confectioners and chocolatiers were having special boxes made just for the presentation of their concoctions, bonbons, chocolate delicacies. The boxes, which always attract me, range from tiny round ones in card/glass and with recess of seed pearls, earlier 1700s, and got larger as time went on, fancier. We've had some in finest tortoise shell, others with the maker's labels or engraved lock plate still in place - such as Boissier. We've sold some to the Boissier museum in Paris. The idea of these boxes was that it would be a lasting memento, reminder of the event of enjoyment of the chocolates and confections it held when initially sold. Whethe