Featured My Best Find Yet!! Amazing Austro Hungarian Box

Hey everyone!

I bought this box from a French seller a while back ($2000 covid splurge lol). He said that his father acquired it at a Paris auction in the '80s. It's a stunning box with genuine cameos, pearls, black amber, turquoise, and garnets.

I searched everywhere with a loupe. The only marking are the numbers 511-302 engraved on the bottom by hand. Sadly a little damage to the front copper panel, bit otherwise it's in fabulous condition. Even the velvet is remarkably preserved.

This thing is monstrous at 9.37 lbs. It's 9.65 inches long, 8.07 inches wide, and 7.48 inches tall.

I thought it must be Austro-Hungarian when I bought it since I own smaller AH jewelry pieces with that turquoise-pearl-garnet combo, but I'm wondering if it might actually be French (Limoges enamel based on Jean Toutin, maybe?).

 

Jaw dropping-

 

No real information on this link to a smaller, less flamboyant box. It was the only one I found that is stylistically similar.
https://www.fontainesauction.com/auction-lot/enamel-and-jeweled-musical-jewelry-box_9EA478397F

 

What a Stunner!

 

Gorgeous box. Should have additional responses tomorrow.

Very nice to see you back here Barn Owl!

 

Quite a production. Surprised they used such mediocre shell cameos for the centerpiece.

 

Agreed. It seems like an intentional choice to me, almost whimsical. Could they be older (or meant to mimic older ones?)

 

That stood out to me, too.

 

Their crudeness marks them out as newer ones, i.e., solidly into the 20th century, probably contemporary with the making of the box itself.

 

Oh, I'm going to have so much fun sharing. The best way of finding out a medication has made you gone manic is when you drop your 20k life savings on antiques in one month. Bought some Georgian furniture and need to know if y'all think I made some good deals.

 

Wow is right!

 

Impressive work, Barn.
Not Austro-Hungarian imo. I think it was made decades after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire.

It could be later Hungarian, they still love ott styles like this and make some nice enamels. Not saying it definitely is though.

Black amber is often a pseudonym for jet.
You could check with a UV light if it is amber. If it doesn't fluoresce, you can test it for jet, by rubbing it on the back of a white tile or other unglazed white ceramic.

The turquoise cabs aren't matched, just like on most AH pieces, so I can understand some of your line of thinking. A nice detail too, I like unmatched turquoise.
But there are other things that don't match up with that idea.
On the photos the pearls look like they could be cultured, so later than AH. Maybe they look more irregular and natural when you have it in hand? Could you post closeups?

I agree with a later box, with a mix of qualities. Some excellent handwork, but unfortunately the missing piece isn't easily replaced. The loose piece can be fixed, so that isn't a problem.

I'm sure there are other ways. I hope you have the right dosage now.

 

I saw this last night but I was hesitant to say anything since you dropped so much money on it ! I dont see this with near the quality one would expect for AH . Too many things just dont gel to me. Not to be negative ! The damage alone would have made me leery,who in the world has the skills to repair something like that these days ?

 

Understandable. Very kind of you to be so considerate.

I agree, Johnny.

 

Here are better photos. The pearls look natural to me, and the quality is actually exquisite--all those panels and decorations are pierced, it's just dirty and badly tarnished. It's not missing any pieces; the only damage is the enameled copper panel, which I figure a jeweler can precisely remove (so the original piece is flush with the underlaying metal, then replace with another similarly enameled copper panel or bend back into shape. It's vermeiled in places and silver it looks like, but I haven't tested it because I don't want to risk damaging it.

 

I should've said very deep cherry amber. The cabochons look black, but they're semi translucent dark red when I shine a light through them. They're cradled in enameled filigree; the raised domes on the sides are all amber.

 

By natural I meant not cultured. The quality of these pearls is good, but not exquisite, and they still look cultured to me, but I don't have it in hand.
The pearls used in Austro-Hungarian items were sourced in Indian and Sri Lankan waters and in the Persian Gulf (Basra pearls). They are high lustre and display various colours, especially the highly prized Basra pearls.
Your pearls have none of these qualities. They are all white, and I don't see high lustre, but again, I don't have it in hand.

I am not trying to be nasty, but although these pearls are pretty, they are not the pearls one would expect on an Austro-Hungarian box imo.

What about the part I circled in white?

Where would the jeweller get a similarly enameled copper panel?

 

It is a very detailed box, that's for sure. Did you use UV light to test the amber?

 

I am a box collector but this is very far from my field of expertise but what a fantastic box, the work involved is remarkable. I don't think this is later than 1880 and I think photos taken with a tripod would show it in better light, as for the restoration, there are obscure companies who take on restoration of this nature, it's amazing what they can restore these days and it's all done using original techniques. Cost? I don't know but what is it worth in mint condition?

 

Superb box!
I see damaged enamel area only, the copper beneath can be seen. This band is lifting on the right and needs to be carefully fixed-glued.
The enamel damage is easy to repair for me with UV resin and paint. @Barn Owl you may ask a nail technician (there are many now!) If she can do that