Description:
Astunning pair of vintage silver-plated wine or champagne buckets, crafted by the renowned Swiss silversmith and manufacturer of hotel furnishings, H. Béard (Montreux). They boast an exceptional provenance: the legendary Hôtel Belles Rives in Juan-les-Pins, on the French Riviera.
With asober, cylindrical shape, each bucket features a thick, rolled rim and two elegant, ring-shaped handles. Their clean lines and sturdy construction are characteristic of high-quality professional hotel silverware, designed to combine elegance and durability.
Both buckets bear the manufacturer’s hallmarks on their bases: “BEARD B 88” above the letter “A.”
Notably, the pair has retained an old handwritten label attesting to its provenance: these are indeed wine buckets from the Hôtel Belles Rives in Juan-les-Pins. This famous establishment is housed in the former Villa Saint-Louis, an iconic site associated with F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald as well as the prestigious cultural life of the French Riviera. The villa was converted into the Hôtel Belles Rives in 1929, later becoming one of the region’s most iconic luxury hotels.
These buckets feature a beautiful, authentic patina; the silver-plated surfaces and interiors bear scratches, scuffs, and signs of wear consistent with their age and actual use in a hotel setting. These signs of service greatly enhance their character and history.
A particularly evocative pair, combining a prestigious provenance on the French Riviera with the quality of Swiss silversmith H. Béard; ideal for serving wine or champagne, to enhance a refined home bar, or as a collector’s item linked to the history of the hotel industry.
Circa 1930–1940.
Sold as a pair.
Dimensions: H. 15.5 cm x Ø 20 cm
