{"product_id":"antique-french-opaline-floral-casket-with-gilt-bronze-mounts-1","title":"Antique French Opaline Floral Casket with Gilt Bronze Mounts","description":"\u003cp\u003eAntique French Opaline Floral Casket with Gilt Bronze Mounts\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrance | Circa 1835–1845\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis elegant mid-19th-century French casket is crafted in soapy opaline demi-crystal, a prized glass developed in the Lorraine region during the first half of the 19th century. The opaline body is richly hand-painted with naturalistic floral garlands, characteristic of the Louis-Philippe period.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe glass form would have been produced by a major Lorraine glasshouse, a region that included leading manufacturers such as Baccarat and Saint-Louis, which supplied high-quality undecorated opaline blanks to the luxury trade. This piece is very likely a Baccarat supplied blank from my research. These blanks were then finished by independent decorative ateliers. The floral painting on this example aligns closely with documented work from the workshop of Jean-François Robert, an important 19th-century decorator known for applying naturalistic enamel decoration to opaline glass during the 1830s–1840s.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe casket is fitted with finely chased gilt bronze mounts, including a pierced escutcheon, twisted rope molding, scrolling feet, and side handles. This style of mounting is consistent with high-quality workshops operating in Mannheim and Paris, where glass objects were often completed with bronze fittings before entering the European luxury market.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe result is a harmonious object in which glass, decoration, and metalwork are fully integrated—reflecting the collaborative production model typical of the period. Comparable examples are illustrated in authoritative French references on opaline glass and mid-19th-century decorative arts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA refined and highly collectible piece, ideal for display in a vitrine or as a statement object within a curated interior. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eabout 5½” wide × 4¾” high\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDetails\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMaterial: Opaline with hand-painted enamel decoration\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMounts: Gilt bronze\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOrigin: France\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDate: Circa 1835–1845\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition: Very good antique condition with age-appropriate wear to the bronze; decoration remains vibrant and well preserved\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Swan Hill Home","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49140589166811,"sku":null,"price":3750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0683\/0466\/6843\/files\/DD7BFFC6-4D68-4961-B66D-040849A3A495.jpg?v=1786759911","url":"https:\/\/swanhillhome.com\/products\/antique-french-opaline-floral-casket-with-gilt-bronze-mounts-1","provider":"Swan Hill Home","version":"1.0","type":"link"}