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245
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Oval silver dish of the first standard (950°/°°), with a bor…
See original version (French)
245
-
Oval silver dish of the first standard (950°/°°), with a bor…
See original version (French)
Estimate €2,000 - €3,000
Voluntary lot
Description
Oval silver dish of the first standard (950°/°°), with a border chiselled with palmette motifs.
Silversmith: Martin-Guillaume Biennais.
Paris 1809–1819.
Length: 49 cm
Weight: 1818 g
Martin-Guillaume Biennais (1764–1843) was a leading figure in French silversmithing during the First Empire and remains one of the most iconic craftsmen of the revival of the decorative arts under the reign of Napoleon I. Trained as a tablet maker and then a cabinetmaker before devoting himself fully to goldsmithing, he established his Parisian workshop, ‘Au Singe Violet’, on Rue Saint-Honoré, which quickly became one of the most prestigious centres for the production of luxury objects of the time. Favoured by the trust placed in him by Bonaparte from the time of the Consulate, Biennais was commissioned to carry out numerous official commissions, notably the regalia for the imperial coronation of 1804, including the crown, the sceptre and the sceptre of justice. Beyond their remarkable craftsmanship, his creations played a part in the political spectacle of the Napoleonic regime by embodying, through the art of precious metals, the ideal of imperial grandeur and legitimacy.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Lot description modified on 06/23/2026 at 4:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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