Early Rococo Gold ​​Étui

A c. 1730-50 early Rococo étui, of a warm solid 18k yellow gold, chased and repoussé-worked with flaming hearts (which, combined with rayed halos, also become sacred hearts) as well as cupid’s quivers with arrows. The additional shell and auricular ornamentation found throughout are highly representative of the late Baroque – early Rococo transition. The construction and form of the the present étui is very similar to another, dated c. 1730, in the Victoria & Albert Museum (M.433 to B-1911); both feature push-pin mechanisms screw-attached to a domed and fluted body capped with knob finials. An étui, a small ornamental case for holding all sorts of articles (e.g. snuff, scents, thimbles, cosmetics, needles, patches, etc), was popular throughout the 18th c and commonly worn on chatelaines. These cases were made in various shapes and sizes, be it egg-shaped, rectangular, or long and cylindrical. Part objet de vertu, part accoutrement, the étui bridged the practical with the luxurious by performing a real function while satisfying consumer demand for finely made status symbols. The precision fitting of the hinge and lid was challenging and required the work of a specialist known as a ‘jointer’, while a separate ‘chaser’ would have worked on the chased/repoussé decorations. By 1760, étuis and other objets de vertu would reach an apex of technical sophistication, featuring hardstone bodies in gold cagework, four-colored cold, and enamel inlay. However, during the early Rococo era, solid casework of the present style was the norm. For other examples of c. 1730-50 étui, see Victoria & Albert Museum M.275-1975, Russian State Historical Museum OK 2201, and Christie’s lot 68 from the 1 Oct 2003 sale.
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