Red silk embroidered with silks and metal thread, and painted in watercolours, French, mid 18th century

Pocket case of red plain weave ribbed silk embroidered in chain stitch with coloured silks and silver-gilt thread.
The outer cover has on one side an oval panel of cream silk painted in watercolours, with two shields, one bearing a dolphin and the other a crowned eagle; behind is an altar, and to the left a cupid. On the other side is a bouquet of flowers. There is an outer border of trailing flowers and leaves, and it is flat quilted overall.

The inside has one pocket with a similar painted panel, but the cupid is replaced by lilies and palm fronds. This pocket has red silk gussets allowing it to fall half open. The other pocket does not have gussets, so stays flat with top opening; it has an internal divider. The inside is lined with cream silk twill.

There is a gilt metal lock with tooled and pierced decoration, backed with green foil. A steel key with it is probably not original.

Purchased from Paris dealer Monsieur Fulgence.

The painted medallion may refer to the marriage of Louis, Dauphin of France, to Maria Josepha of Saxony. On 10 January 1747, Louis was married by proxy at Dresden to Maria Josepha, the 15-year-old younger daughter of Frederick Augustus II, Prince-Elector of Saxony and King of Poland and his wife, Archduchess Maria Josepha of Austria. A second marriage ceremony took place in person at Versailles on 9 February 1747. Commemorative objects were produced and sold to mark the marriage, and this may have been made for that purpose.

Pocket and letter cases were used to carry letters, papers and bank bills. They were used by both men and women, with those for women often elaborately decorated with embroidery, like this one.

Richly decorated pocket and letter cases were often made of silk, and beautifully embroidered with silk or silk ribbon and metal threads; some had silver-gilt fringes, strings and tassels, others were signed and dated. The oval panel of this pocket book is painted in watercolours, with similar panels inside, and possibly refers to a Royal marriage.

1937-1899