Description

A French Deco rectangular box stained to resemble tortoise-shell, of Chinoiserie inspiration. The cover is engraved and gilded with flower-pots between inlaid coral and moher o’ pearl discs and applied with white gold bands set at the ends with rose-cut diamonds; the clasp similarly set. The gold hinge is stamped with French 18ct control marks, and the maker’s mark of Strauss, Allard & Meyer, Paris. This maker’s mark has been found on boxes signed by Cartier, Boucheron and other French makers. As box-making is rather specialised, it is quite normal that their manufacture should be contracted-out to specialists; the same applied to much jewellery signed by the major houses. The box is 3 1/4 x 2 3/8 x 5/8 inches; 84 x 62 x 18mm. It is in excellent condition