Fine Antique French Grand Tour Souvenir Purse, Tortoise Shell 18k Pique, Eglomise of Luxembourg Palace
Isn't it a gem! A little Grand Tour souvenir, dating c.1850-70s, in gorgeous cognac to chocolate mottled tortoise shell with a souvenir view (eglomise - back-painted glass) of a rare scene: Luxembourg Palace from the gardens. The purse is beautifully preserved, obviously a very special souvenir, but the intrigue is also that in all my decades of collecting, I don't think I've even found a Luxembourg Palace painting. Just look! Elaborate pique in gold, silver, mother of pearl or abalone shell - those tiny dots really shimmer (only one missing). A Napoleon III or mid-Victorian traveler's treasure, the silk lining is fully intact and separates into 4 compartments, one with clasp. Of all that 18k gold pique and border, florals, only one of the tiny round dots (1mm) has come loose in its 170 or so years. The back-painted (eglomise) souvenir panel is also backed with mother of pearl and shimmers with light and color at an angle, through the tiny windows. The tiny painting is 1.25" x 1" oval.