18k Solid Gold Sewing Set By Nicolas Delafontaine

FOR THE MARQUISE DE L…
Paris, Palais-Royal, Restoration (circa 1820–1830)

A work of extreme refinement, this miniature sewing kit in 18-karat solid gold was crafted by the Parisian goldsmith Nicolas Delafontaine, a renowned master of the Palais-Royal during the Restoration. It is an aristocratic object of exceptional quality, commissioned for Madame la Marquise de L…, as indicated by the engraved plaque reading “Mᵐᵉ Mᵗᵉ de L…” and the monogram embroidered in bluish chenille.

The box, crafted from burl walnut and edged with an inlaid frieze, contains seven accessories made entirely of gold: embroidery scissors, a needle case, an awl, a pencil holder, a thimble, a lace threader/ear pick, and a mother-of-pearl spool. Each bears the Parisian hallmark featuring a ram’s head (1819–1838), attesting to the purity of the precious metal. The diamond-shaped hallmark visible on the scissors unambiguously identifies Nicolas Delafontaine.

Thanks to the quality of its craftsmanship, the consistency of its decoration—palmettes, papyrus, and engraved foliage—and the perfection of its miniature forms, this set ranks among the works produced in the Palais-Royal workshops for the weddings of the great families of the Faubourg Saint-Germain: La Rochefoucauld, La Trémoïlle, Lamoignon, Lévis, or Lauriston.

Similar pieces can be found in the collections of the Louvre Museum, the Museum of Decorative Arts in Copenhagen, and the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels, although examples made entirely of solid gold, complete, personalized, and attributed to a master goldsmith are extremely rare.

Dimensions: 13 × 8.2 × 2.5 cm

Under normal market conditions, a set of this significance would fetch between 12,000 and 18,000 €.  
Given the current market conditions, it is being offered at the **exceptional price of 3,790 euros**.

One of the most beautiful boxes presented in the current art market.