Louis Armand Rault designed Victorian box locket. | ||
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Posted 11 years ago
Vintagefran
(83 items)
Hi all,
French designer Louis Rault, worked in the late 18C and died in 1903.
His designs were copied many times by different companies from Europe to the USA, in jewery, buttons & boxes/compacts like this.
I found one similar online which had a mirror inside, this has very rough dark edges around the inside, where there could have once been something.
Thank you
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This is beautiful! No idea...just spitballing...snuff. Tobacco. Candied violets. What do they use for fainting ladies...
I wonder if it was to hold a lock of hair or something.
I hadn't noticed the initials, They look like RS to me, perhaps it was a love token, like a locket?
Or a snuff box maybe?
Also it opens oddly for a watch case, don't they usually flip open?
Thanks Sarah,
I tried to edit it but after removing the pics i couldn't find how to add new ones...I expect i'll learn, eventually.
Thanks for the loves, i have to agree i love it too, shame there's a 'rose' missing from the top back, 2nd photo.
Vintagefran, it was only me, but 3 mm is a plenty, here's a classic and high dollar example I referred to. The locket idea with smelling salts as Amber suggested sound very good also.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2157661/Stunning-watch-hidden-inside-5-coin-King-Edward-gave-mistress-expected-fetch-15-000-auction.html
Thanks Kerry.
Wow they really can make watches thin.
I'm still sceptical about this being a watchcase. It doesn't really open right and looks older, I'd guess early Victorian, but i could easily be wrong.
It would be great to find another one similar, that opened like this, even if i never find out what it was used for.
I'm in agreement with your scepitism, but as a "Watch" guy, I see every thing as a possible watch, lol. I'm more in line to go with a snuff, smelling salts are even possibly an opium container. The mystery continues, will be watching for that someone in the know for an excate answer, good luck , hope an answer show itself in short time. Thanks for sharing
There is also a R.L. or L.R. mark on the front
Could it be a compact?
Thanks for all the info or conjecture, lol.
I thought the initials look more like RS but you could be right Sarahoff.
I wonder if it could be bought that way rather than personal initials (a rather pricy) sweety box or something maybe, like Amber Rose suggested.
Looking at the initials again, i think you're right about the L Sara. An L with a rather swirly R, looks more likely than an S.
For London Railways perhaps?
It's worth looking into:)
The other mark shown at the end, could it be 333? Germany marked some jewelry this way.
Hi Sara,
Thank you for the advice. I'm not sure about this mark, it looks almost accidental, like soldering. The other mark (not pictured) is of 3 indents & looks more deliberate but what they mean i have no idea. It could well be German.
Interesting. I found a silver button with the same design on eBay, 2nd picture. I guess the year of this is probably around the same, early 1900s.
This is bigger than the button and not silver, as far as i can tell, I've found no marks.
This female warrior with dragon must have been a popular design. Love to know if anyone knows more about it.
Update...I've found what the initials stand for, Louis Rault. A designer :)
Very cool Fran!!:)
Thanks Sara, its great when the research pays off like this. Usually i hit a dead end.
I found a catalogue on the morning glory antiques website from Daniel Low company that has an example of your lovely lady here and with the same inscription. Check it out Fran!!
R.L. is also a Lalique mark. I found the your locket/watch case described as being Lalique!!
Hi Sara,
Sorry, I've just seen your post. I'll check out that website, thanks.
While researching this, i read that Lalique is often mis attributed to Rault, because of the initials, but there's no connection.
Ahh i found it, its a brooch. The other example i found was a silver button. I've also read the same lady can come with precious stones or pearls added. I guess the designs so nice it was used on all sorts of things. This is only brass but very nice, nice its a bit bigger than a button.
according to the British Museum:
Louis Armand Rault (sculptor/medallist and jewelry designer; goldsmith/metalworker; French; Male; 1847 - 1903)
Very nice piece and you are right abort this being by Louis Armand Rault. Often mistaken for Lalique. Not the intention of Rault though. Here is an informative link. Feel a bit sorry for Rault being decribed as fakes but that is only the fault of todays sellers which you can see if you read the article. I like Raults work.
https://rlalique.com/Sections/Fakes/louis-armand-rault-medalist-jeweler-french-1847-1903.php