"baron Gérard" Neo-empire Ice Set, Paris, Laparra And Gabriel

Dimensions and weight:
12 dessert spoons – length 13 cm, total weight 205 g
Serving spoon – length 26 cm, weight 102 g
Serving shovel – length 29 cm, weight 117 g
Total weight of the cutlery set – 424 g
Presentation box – 5.5 × 42.5 × 33 cm

Dessert cutlery set from the collection known as “ Baron Gérard”, named after François Gérard (1770–1837), one of the leading painters at the court of Napoleon I. The design was developed from compositions associated with the artist and is part of an ornamental repertoire inspired by Neoclassicism and the art of the Empire period.

The set includes 12 dessert spoons, one large serving spoon, and one serving scoop. The spoons feature round, flat bowls engraved with a motif of a winged torch flanked by iris flowers. The handles, which are flat and taper toward the tips, end in small almond-shaped motifs. They are decorated on both sides with a relief ornamentation composed of palmettes, acanthus leaves, and floral wreaths. The bowls of the serving spoon and the ladle echo the design of the teaspoons, while their handles are further embellished with a sinuous ivy motif.

The set is preserved in its original case, lined with cream-colored suede. The inside of the lid bears the hallmark of the retailer Beaumont & Cie, Lyon.

Condition:
Very good.

Bibliography:
Y. Markezana, French Hallmarks for Gold, Silver, and Platinum from 1275 to the Present, Turin, 2005, p. 102.