A rock crystal cup and cover with enameled gold mounts, probably French, last third of the 19th century

Property of a European Family

A rock crystal cup and cover with enameled gold mounts, probably French, last third of the 19th century

in the manner of revivalist Renaissance 'Kunstkammer' objects such as those by Charles Duron; the two-handled rock-crystal bowl carved with large bands, the gold mounts finely enamelled with white ornaments in front of semi-translucent red arches on a reeded ground, the lid framed in a gold bead border and surmounted with a diamond-set pearl finial supported by elongated translucent red and opaque white enamel leaves, the bowl resting on an oval gold frame decorated with coiling gold serpents enamelled in green in the round, resting on blue enamel acorn leaves, the baluster stem with bands of white enamel around gold foliage, alternating with fine red bands above leafy gold rim and bead border, the stepped oval base etched with four branches, further enamelled and gold bead border, apparently unmarked apart from French control mark,

12cm., 4¾in. high