Olive Green Lambskin Wallet

Gold medal clasp by R Bouvet (3rd Republic, after 1880)Stamped gold mountElegant olive green lambskin wallet, closed by a hallmarked gold clasp system incorporating a medal of the Third Republic.• Gold medal (22 ct), decorated with the helmeted bust of the Republic facing left, wearing a helmet adorned with animals and fantastic elements. Signature R. BOUVET.• Reverse: ivy branch, monogram RB.• The medal is mounted on a clasp thanks to a fastening system also in hallmarked gold (two discs and central axis).R. Bouvet, active medalist under the Third Republic, signed several allegorical effigies of the Republic. The choice of the fantastic helmet symbolizes vigilance and republican strength. The luxurious mounting in green and hallmarked gold lambskin gives this piece the character of a prestigious object and not a simple utilitarian accessory. The quality of the lambskin, the finesse of the mounting and the integration of a hallmarked gold clasp decorated with a medal signed by R. Bouvet allow us to compare this object to the productions of the great Parisian leather goods makers of the late 19th century. The houses of Goyard (founded in 1853) and Moynat (founded in 1849), both renowned for their exceptional work and their elite clientele, are particularly known for having produced bespoke wallets and accessories, sometimes enriched with precious metal mounts. In the absence of a hallmark or internal mark, a definitive attribution cannot be affirmed, but the ensemble presents all the characteristics of a special order from a great Parisian leather goods maker (probably Goyard or Moynat), in collaboration with a goldsmith. The olive green shade of the leather and its suppleness also evoke the production of the great Italian workshops of the late 19th century, particularly in Florence and Milan, renowned for their richly and originally dyed leathers. The Franzi house (founded in Milan in 1864), official supplier to the Italian court, produced at this time luxurious wallets and accessories comparable to Parisian productions (Goyard, Moynat), and distinguished itself in particular by its bold color choices, which included olive green and burgundy.