Makers Marks Archives - Antique Boxes

Cartier Makers Marks and Information

Antique Boxes — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 16:17:14 +0000

Cartier Makers Marks and Information. Louis-François Cartier founded Cartier in Paris in 1847 when he took over the workshop of his master. In 1874, Louis-François’ son Alfred Cartier took over the company, but it was Alfred’s sons Louis, Pierre and Jacques, who were responsible for establishing the brand name worldwide.

In 1904, the Brazilian pioneer aviator, Alberto Santos-Dumont complained to his friend Louis Cartier of the unreliability and impracticality of using pocket watches while flying. Cartier designed a flat wristwatch with a distinctive square bezel. This watch was liked by not only Santos-Dumont but also many other customers. Thus the “Santos” was born. This was Cartier’s first men’s wristwatch.

Louis retained responsibility for the Paris branch, moving to the Rue de la Paix in 1899. He was responsible for some of the company’s most celebrated designs, like the mystery clocks (a type of clock with a transparent dial and so named because its mechanism is hidden), fashionable wristwatches and exotic orientalist Art Deco designs, including the colorful “Tutti Frutti” jewels. Reference: Wikipedia

Cartier Maker’s Mark

CARTIER: GOLD PILL-BOX, 1963 Modelled in the form of a walnut, the hinged cover opening to reveal a polished interior, signed Cartier, London hallmarks, length 4cm.

Sold for £ 5,100 (US$ 6,295) inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2021

CARTIER ART DECO JADE, SEED PEARL AND ENAMEL CASE

Opening to reveal a fitted mirror, jade, seed pearls, black and blue enamel, 18k yellow gold (French marks), circa 1930, signed Cartier Paris, Londres, New York, Made in France

Size/Dimensions: 4.6 x 4.6 x 2.2 cm (1⁷⁄₈ x 1⁷⁄₈ x ⁷⁄₈ in)
Gross Weight: 80.1 grams
Sold for USD 11,250 in 2022

Cartier Gold and Ruby Pill Box
14 kt., the circular pill box of ribbed gold, 2 square-cut rubies, signed Cartier, ap. 11.3 dwts.

Sold for $1,512 (includes buyer’s premium) at Doyle in 2021

14K YELLOW GOLD CARTIER SNUFF BOX, 19g – A French engine turned hinged body, monogrammed C. E. W. Maker’s mark and 14k marked to the interior lip of the box.
4.4 cm x 3.3 cm

Sold for CA$750 at A.H. Wilkens Auctions & Appraisals in 2022

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Theo Faberge

Antique Boxes — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 16:46:03 +0000

Information and makers marks of Theo Faberge. Theo Fabergé (London, 26 September 1922 – 20 August 2007) was the grandson of Peter Carl Fabergé. His father Nicholas Fabergé, Carl’s youngest son, arrived in London in 1906 to help run the only branch of ‘The House of Fabergé’ outside Russia, in Dover Street, London. After 1917 Nicholas remained in London and in 1922 his son, Theo Fabergé was born. From an early age Theo Fabergé had a passion for making objects of a highly crafted standard. A fascination with the natural beauties of wood led Theo to explore the techniques of ornamental turning, the art of deep-cut engraving and sculpting woods, ivories and metals using precision lathes. He restored a Holtzappfel lathe originating from 1861, and in the 1950s began to design and make elegant objets d’art from rare wood and ivory, for pleasure and then as commissions. Reference: Wikipedia

Theo Faberge Maker’s Mark

Limited Edition Theo Faberge Gilded Over Cobalt Ground Winter Egg Music Box with Imperial Crown of Russia Finial with Ruby Cabochon in Presentation Box. Signed and numbered 666. Sterling silver interior base with vermeil crown winding mechanism. Egg measures 5-1/2″ x 3″. Box measures 7″ x 6-1/2″ squared. Condition: Music box is not running otherwise good condition.

Sold for US$600 at Kodner Galleries Inc in 2022

The Trafalgar Egg. An enamel, silver-gilt and parcel-gilt metal commemorative egg, Theo Fabergé, Birmingham, 2004

the upper section applied with reliefs of the Battle of Trafalgar and a replica of Admiral Lord Nelson’s Naval Medal on translucent blue enamel over chevron engine-turning, surmounted by a Russian Imperial crown set with a cabochon sapphire, the egg opening to reveal a parcel-gilt metal bust of Nelson, after Flaxman, the base applied with rope-festooned anchors, spreading foot, the underside inscribed ‘Theo Fabergé / Sarah Fabergé / No. 5’, in fitted case

18cm., 7⅛in. high

Sold for 4,410 GBP at Sotheby’s in 2021

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Thorens Music Boxes

Antique Boxes — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 13:49:20 +0000

Information on Thorens music boxes. Thorens is a Swiss manufacturer of high-end audio equipment. They are historically renowned for the range of phonographs (turntables) they produce. In 1883, the Thorens family business was first registered in Sainte-Croix (Ste-Croix), Vaud, Switzerland by Hermann Thorens. An initial producer of musical boxes and clock movements (which they were still producing in the 1950s), they started producing Edison-type phonographs in 1903. Reference: Wikipedia.

Thorens also made small musical boxes / musical movements which were inserted into soft toys such as the A J K Farnell Lady Kitty below.

Thorens Maker’s Mark

Thorens music box (20th C., Switzerland), featuring multiple movements and mechanisms, plays tunes such as “Blue Danube”, “Schubert’s Serenade”, “La Traviata” by Verdi, etc, in burl wood motif box, with two handles. 14″h x 16″w x 8″d

Sold for US$400 at Vogt Auction Texas in 2022

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Fred Zimbalist Music Boxes

Antique Boxes — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 16:13:46 +0000

Information on Fred Zimbalist. Zimbalist was born in Russia in 1909 and founded the Zimbalist Music Box Company. He operated out of Cleveland, Ohio. He made unique nickel silver plated pieces which were hand-tooled in India. Each piece was unique. He died in 2003.

Fred Zimbalist (Russian, 1909-2003). Gilt metal elephant form music box with inset blue glass eyes, plays “Anniversary Song” and “Tales of Vienna Woods”. Movement by Thorens (Swiss, founded 1883). No apparent makers mark, Thorens movement label attached. Approx. h. 7.375″, w. 9″.

Sold for US$2,250 at Ahlers & Ogletree Auction Gallery in 2022

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Jean-Francois Bautte

Antique Boxes — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 07:28:24 +0000

Information and makers marks for Jean-Francois Bautte. Jean-François Bautte came from a family of modest workmen. Very soon an orphan, he was placed in an apprenticeship at the age of 12, i.e. in 1784, and was trained in the different trades of being a case fitter, engraver, watchmaker, jeweller, and goldsmith. He signed his first creations in 1791. On August 1, 1793, he joined forces with Jacques-Dauphin Moulinié, under the corporate name Moulinié & Bautte, case fitters. On October 1, 1804, with the arrival of Jean-Gabriel Moynier, the firm became Moulinié, Bautte & Cie, seller of watch making-jewellery making. It was then that Jean-François Bautte developed his own manufacture in Geneva that brought together under the same roof all the bodies of trades of watch making from that time.

On December 20, 1837, the Jean-François Bautte & Cie Company was formed, seller of watch and jewellery making, by his son Jacques Bautte and his son-in-law Jean-Samuel Rossel. The company was then repurchased by Constant Girard-Gallet, owner of the Swiss watch Manufacturer Girard-Perregaux (La Chaux-de-Fonds) in 1906. Some of his creations are on display at the Girard-Perregaux Museum in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Reference: Wikipedia

Jean-Francois Bautte Maker’s Mark

A 19TH CENTURY SWISS GOLD AND ENAMELLED SNUFF BOX by Jean-François Bautte & Cie, Geneva 1826 – 1852,
Rectangular, the cover with a central coloured armorial shield on a black taille d’épargne ground of scrolls, acanthus and architectural volutes, the concave sides and base with similar enamel decoration, length 8cm, weight total 124.5gms.

Sold for £ 8,125 (US$ 10,092) inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2018

A yellow chased gold rectangular snuff-box with rounded corners inscribed ‘J.F. Bautte e Cle à Genéve’. Jean François Bautte, Geneva, first half of the 19th century (g 70) (cm 7×4)

Sold for €2,400 at Il Ponte Casa d’Aste Srl in 2019

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Limoges Information

Antique Boxes — Sun, 08 Apr 2018 08:16:14 +0000

Information and marks for Limoges boxes. Limoges porcelain designates hard-paste porcelain produced by factories near the city of Limoges, France beginning in the late 18th century, but does not refer to a particular manufacturer.

Limoges had strong antecedents in the production of decorative objects. The city was the most famous European centre of vitreous enamel production in the 12th century, and Limoges enamel was known as Opus de Limogia or Labor Limogiae. It had also been the site of a minor industry producing plain faience earthenware since the 1730s. Reference: Wikipedia

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Tiffany Studios Information

Antique Boxes — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 11:05:32 +0000

Information on Tiffany Studios and their makers marks. Although Louis Comfort Tiffany’s company is best known by the name of Tiffany Studios, his vast creative enterprise operated under various names through the years. These include Louis C. Tiffany & Company (1878–85); Tiffany Glass Company (1885–92); Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company (1892–1900); Allied Arts (1900–1902); and Tiffany Studios (1902–32). Additional production support was provided by Stourbridge Glass Company (1893–1902); Tiffany Furnaces, Inc. (1902–19); and Louis C. Tiffany Furnaces, Inc. (1920–28). These too were Tiffany companies.

Neither Tiffany Studios nor the Tiffany companies preceding it were created to function as guilds where individual artists are equally recognized. They were designed in the historic tradition of studios that produced works under the name of an established artist. Reference: The Morse Museum

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Cesare Roccheggiani

Antique Boxes — Wed, 04 Apr 2018 15:05:25 +0000

Cesare Roccheggiani is presumably the member of the family of mosaicists whose name is recorded in the lid of the case since he is the only member with the initial ‘C’. The only published document referring to Cesare is dated 1859, when he is mentioned in a bill of payment in the archives of the Vatican Mosaic Factory at St Peter’s. He was probably related to Lorenzo and Nicola Roccheggiani, mosaicists of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, and Antonio Roccheggiani, who gained medals at the London exhibition of 1851 and the Paris exhibition of 1855. Reference: The British Museum

The Vatican micromosaic workshop was originally founded in the late 16th century to provide the mosaics to decorate the basilica of Saint Peters; but continued to produce micromosaics for the open market for centuries after. By the 19th century the Vatican workshop was producing works of such quality that it had virtually monopolised the market. Roccheggiani was employed at the Vatican from 1856 to 1864, but also set up his own workshop which is recorded firstly at 125 Via Babuino and then, by 1874, at 14 & 15 Via Condotti. Here he mostly produced small decorative pieces for the tourist market, such as the present lot. However, his remarkable skill is particularly apparent in the exceptionally large works that he was commissioned to produce, such as the 102.5cm x 185.2cm panel sold at Christies, London, 29 April 2010, lot 268 for £481,000. Reference: Bonham’s

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C. F. Monroe Company

Antique Boxes — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 16:03:20 +0000

Information and makers marks for the C. F. Monroe Co. The C.F. Monroe Co. operated a glass manufacturing and decorating factory from 1880 to 1916 in Meridian, Connecticut. Its three primary products were “Wave Crest”, “Nakara” and “Kelva” decorated art glass wares. These wares are very similar in form and decoration and are distinguished most easily by their associated marks. Monroe imported glass blanks from France and purchased others from the Pairpoint glass company for decoration with satin and brightly colored opal enamels by their own decorators. Reference: Internet Antique Gazette

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Murano Glass Maker Information

Antique Boxes — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 15:18:46 +0000

Information on Murano glass including makers mark / label. Murano glass is glass made on the Venetian island of Murano, which has specialized in fancy glasswares for centuries. Murano’s glassmakers led Europe for centuries, developing or refining many technologies including crystalline glass, enamelled glass (smalto), golden glass (goldstone), multicolored glass (millefiori), milk glass (lattimo), and imitation gemstones made of glass. Today, the artisans of Murano are still employing these centuries-old techniques, crafting everything from contemporary art glass and glass figurines to Murano glass chandeliers and wine stoppers, as well as tourist souvenirs. Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murano_glass

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