Italian Deco 800 silver and enamel Compact ~ courting scene
I have a weakness for Italian silver jewelry and vanity pieces from the opening decades of the 20th c. and enameled compacts with figural decoration are a big favorite of mine. I admittedly don’t “powder my nose” yet these small treasures are worthy of being proudly displayed as miniature works of art. The richly-colored, very nicely detailed courting scene at the center of the compact at hand is a marvel in and of itself. But this round “box” keeps giving with its intricate cut-work that creates silver flowers raised over a faux-lapis background; its vignettes of translucent sea-blue enamel; and the multitude of etched designs all around the compact’s perimeter as well as on its underside. Resistance is indeed futile…
Size / Weight: just shy of 3” in diameter; 1/2” tall; 108.4 grams
Hallmarks / Date: “800” as shown and “ITALY” under the powder puff; 1920s-40s
Condition: very good vintage with beautiful patina in the mellowed vermeil finish, strong colors in the enamel and a sweet, romantic figural scene, richly decorated, retaining its original powder puff, with no scratches or chips in the enamel but with one of the little flowers missing their central stone and two of them having lost part of their faux-lapis background; the mirror in in great shape as well with just a small, negligible area of clouding; there is a hint of the original powder’s aroma but its quite light and actually rather pleasing
Inv# 14262
I have a weakness for Italian silver jewelry and vanity pieces from the opening decades of the 20th c. and enameled compacts with figural decoration are a big favorite of mine. I admittedly don’t “powder my nose” yet these small treasures are worthy of being proudly displayed as miniature works of art. The richly-colored, very nicely detailed courting scene at the center of the compact at hand is a marvel in and of itself. But this round “box” keeps giving with its intricate cut-work that creates silver flowers raised over a faux-lapis background; its vignettes of translucent sea-blue enamel; and the multitude of etched designs all around the compact’s perimeter as well as on its underside. Resistance is indeed futile…
Size / Weight: just shy of 3” in diameter; 1/2” tall; 108.4 grams
Hallmarks / Date: “800” as shown and “ITALY” under the powder puff; 1920s-40s
Condition: very good vintage with beautiful patina in the mellowed vermeil finish, strong colors in the enamel and a sweet, romantic figural scene, richly decorated, retaining its original powder puff, with no scratches or chips in the enamel but with one of the little flowers missing their central stone and two of them having lost part of their faux-lapis background; the mirror in in great shape as well with just a small, negligible area of clouding; there is a hint of the original powder’s aroma but its quite light and actually rather pleasing
Inv# 14262
I have a weakness for Italian silver jewelry and vanity pieces from the opening decades of the 20th c. and enameled compacts with figural decoration are a big favorite of mine. I admittedly don’t “powder my nose” yet these small treasures are worthy of being proudly displayed as miniature works of art. The richly-colored, very nicely detailed courting scene at the center of the compact at hand is a marvel in and of itself. But this round “box” keeps giving with its intricate cut-work that creates silver flowers raised over a faux-lapis background; its vignettes of translucent sea-blue enamel; and the multitude of etched designs all around the compact’s perimeter as well as on its underside. Resistance is indeed futile…
Size / Weight: just shy of 3” in diameter; 1/2” tall; 108.4 grams
Hallmarks / Date: “800” as shown and “ITALY” under the powder puff; 1920s-40s
Condition: very good vintage with beautiful patina in the mellowed vermeil finish, strong colors in the enamel and a sweet, romantic figural scene, richly decorated, retaining its original powder puff, with no scratches or chips in the enamel but with one of the little flowers missing their central stone and two of them having lost part of their faux-lapis background; the mirror in in great shape as well with just a small, negligible area of clouding; there is a hint of the original powder’s aroma but its quite light and actually rather pleasing
Inv# 14262