Topic: Rare find! French Restoration Period Basket -Bercy

[antonizz]

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to share this beautiful find.

I have found it online last week, and recognized it straight away as an
early 19th century French "panier" (basket). It's made by (or attributed to)
the famous french glass factory Bercy. It's made in the French restoration period.
Circa 1815-1820.

It is made of 3 colors of opal crystal (or opaline glass).
The handle is made of fire gilded bronze (ormolu), and on both ends shaped like an animal.
I'm sure what it is yet. It looks like a bird, although I'm sure I've seen more snake versions before.

It's really a extremely rare find, and I'm quite fond about it.


Now if there's anybody that can tell me more about it, your welcome.
Even though I collect opaline glass for years, I'm a newbie when it comes to knowledge
about glass and glassmaking.

I believe it has a polished pontilmark.

But I'd love to know more about how the layers were made and attached to each other for example.


Hope you guys like it as well!!


Kind regards,
F. Antonis

[antonizz]

More pictures:

[antonizz]

More pictures:

[flying free]

Lovely - and rare and gorgeous   but your photos are too small to see details!  Sorry 

Can you upload them to a 600 x 400 pixel size please so they can be enlarged?

I recently bought an early piece of French glass too   documented and very rare so I'm extremely pleased with it.  Not quite as early as yours though.

If you have Les Opalines is there not information in there about the piece?
The way the handle is twisted and finished looks quite like a snake doesn't it?  So perhaps the handle is supposed to represent a snake?

The Musée des arts décoratifs have one enamelled - the same design as yours with the handle.  They call it a serpent
They date it 1814-1830 period. Their example is diameter 12cm height 5cm.




m

[antonizz]

I hope these are better..

[antonizz]

#2

[antonizz]

#3

[antonizz]

Thank you for your response!

Yes, I have the book Les Opalines, by Christine Vincendeau.
There are 3 examples of these kind of baskets and handles, with one close to mine.
I haven't had the time to translate yet.

I already knew about the one from MADParis.
But I have found a couple of others as well, over the years:

Links:
1) https://www.rossini.fr/lot/7996/1549261?refurl=Panier+sur+pi%C3%A9douche+%C3%A0+bord+godronn%C3%A9+en+opaline+de+cristal+savonneuse%2C+gorge+de+pigeon+et+cristal+ve

2)  https://www.gazette-drouot.com/lots/6676516

3) https://www.ouaissantiquites.com/objectdetails/799052/18150/antique-shop-paris-75008

4) https://www.gazette-drouot.com/lots/11545329

5) https://www.gazette-drouot.com/lots/6676515

6) https://www.gazette-drouot.com/lots/469614

7) https://www.gazette-drouot.com/lots/3226233

Many of them have been designed by a well-known enameller "Jean-Baptiste Desvignes", who worked for Sèvres, Baccarat, Bercy and others.

[flying free]

I don't know if the pieces were designed by him?  I think the enamelling was done by him/the company.  But the bowls were made at Bercy I believe.

Google translate is your friend when it comes to the books.  It really does help to painstakingly type out the passages with the information. 
I find the research part the most interesting bit of owning my glass.  Translating is hard but opens up so much information and is so enlightening.

It's a gorgeous find.  You are very lucky which I'm sure you already know 

m

[antonizz]

Yes, you're right.

The pieces were designed and made by these companies. Bercy, in this case.
And then some of them were transferred to Desvignes, for him (or at least his atelier) to decorate.

And yes, I think I should face criminal charges, because I only paid € 100 for it.