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Lunette box in vermeillé silver finely chiseled, decorated with a cross on the lid and stylized foliage, Minerva punch and goldsmith Armand-Calliat *, XIXth century.
This box is in good condition. Hallmarked see photos. She does not have her lunula.
A note: slight wear and scratches on the vermeil, micro-shock and wear of time, see photos.
fascinated by the masterpieces of Byzantine art and by the neo-Gothic movement set up by Viollet-le-Duc goes to Lyon where he meets the one who will become his wife, Jeanne CAILLAT whose father has a factory of silversmithing. Attracted by everything related to the Middle Ages, he studied drawing, painting and interested in colors and enamel. Having inherited his father-in-law's goldsmith's factory, he turned to religious goldsmithing and enriched it with many pieces of sacred art. He is allied with Pierre BOSSAN, the architect of the basilicas of Fourvière and Ars. The workshop of the rise of Gourguillon in Lyon becomes world famous and takes the name of ARMAND-CAILLAT, his two sons working with him after having studied at Beaux arts in Lyon and Paris. Among many other objects and sacred vessels, he is credited with the crown of the Virgin of Fourvière, the shrine of the priest of Ars and, nearer, the shrine of Bishop St Anthelme in the cathedral of Belley. He died in 1901, Officer of the Legion of Honor, Commander of St Gregory the Great, Knight of the Order of St Charles, after having been President of the Academy of Sciences, Fine Arts and Arts of Lyon, President of the Council of the National School of Fine Arts of Lyon and Officer of Public Instruction.
(By J.DASSONVILLE, Memoirs of the Pays du Guiers site)
