Rare Pineapple-form Cut Crystal Box With Gilt Bronze Mount, Circa 1830

A pineapple-shaped toiletries box (or jewellery box) made of translucid crystal, richly cut with diamond-pointed edges and interlocking facets, opening via a central hinged frame in gilded bronze, chased with a geometric frieze. The lid is crowned with a plume of exotic leaves in gilded bronze, and the base rests on a curving foot formed of blooming acanthus leaves, also in gilded bronze. The interior reveals a gilded rosette-shaped finial at the bottom of the container.
France. Charles X period (19th century, c. 1830).
H_14 cm D_6.5 cm
In excellent condition.

The pineapple motif, a symbol of exoticism, rarity and hospitality, enjoyed immense popularity in the French decorative arts during the Restoration and the reign of Charles X. Leading crystal manufacturers (such as Baccarat, Saint-Louis and the Creusot factory) made magnificent use of the diamond-point cutting technique to imitate the natural texture of the fruit’s skin, utilising the refractive properties of lead crystal to capture the light. Combined with the craftsmanship of Parisian bronze smiths for the mountings, these decorative boxes adorned dressing tables or display cabinets in aristocratic residences, reflecting the period’s taste for refined curiosities.

Our piece follows in the tradition of the luxury creations of the first half of the 19th century, is a masterful testament to the taste for the exotic and the technical perfection of French crystal-making during the reign of Charles X.