Scent Box In Green-tinted Burl Wood, Paris, 1814–1819.

An elegant, cube-shaped perfume box, entirely veneered in green-tinted burl wood, opens with a slightly domed lid. The top of the lid is adorned in its center with an antique-style vase, known as an "Etruscan" vase, crafted from cut and applied silver—an emblematic motif of the Neoclassical style inherited from Antiquity, still very much in vogue during the Empire and the First Restoration. The interior, entirely original and complete, features an antique mercury mirror set in the bottom of the lid, as well as a lined, compartmentalized compartment, retaining all its original fittings. It contains: four cut crystal bottles with facets and diamond points, resting on a star-shaped base, their original silver stoppers, and a small silver funnel. The bottles, by virtue of the quality of the crystal, the precision of the cut, and the style of the decoration, can be attributed to the production of the Le Creusot crystalworks, an active and renowned manufacturer from the late 18th to the early 19th century for its crystals intended for luxury items and toilet sets. The silver components (stoppers and funnel) bear: the small guarantee hallmark of a fasces with an axe in the center facing left, surrounded by a border, used in Paris between 1809 and 1819, as well as the maker's mark JLV, attributed to Jean-Louis Varin, a Parisian goldsmith specializing in toilet sets and fittings, active from 1814. The precise intersection of these hallmarks allows the set to be dated between 1814 and 1819, a period corresponding to the end of the Empire and the very beginning of the Restoration, during the reign of Louis XVIII. The Etruscan-style decoration on the lid fits perfectly within this stylistic continuity, characteristic of the Neoclassical tradition still dominant in the decorative arts of these transitional years. Condition: The box is in good condition with no missing parts, entirely original, the burl veneer is in good condition, cleaned and tidy, the lantern/funnel is in very good condition, the silver stoppers are slightly dented, and there are signs of age-related wear consistent with the object's age, without affecting the overall integrity. The antique mercury mirror shows normal wear. The set is complete, homogeneous, and of the period, an essential quality for this type of box. Dimensions: Height: 7 cm Width: 7 cm Depth: 7 cm Conclusion: A very fine example of a Neoclassical toilet box, combining Parisian silver, cut crystal, and decorative veneer, precisely datable to 1814–1819, representative of the cultivated and refined taste of the late Empire/Early Restoration period.