Not currently on display at the V&A

Casket

ca. 1851 (made)
Artist/Maker
Gueyton, Alexandre (designer and maker)
Place of origin
Paris (made)

Casket in 'oxidised' silver, architectural form, set with rubies and half pearls


Object details

Categories
Access to Images
Images Online
Great Exhibition
Metalwork
SCRAN
Object type
Casket
Materials and techniques
'Oxidised' silver and silver gilt, set with rubies and half pearls
Silver
Ruby
Pearl
Brief description
Oxidised silver, set with rubies and pearls, Paris, ca.1851, made by Alexandre Gueyton.
Physical description
Casket in 'oxidised' silver, architectural form, set with rubies and half pearls
Dimensions
  • Height: 16.2cm
  • Width: 17.5cm
  • Depth: 10.2cm
Style
Neo-Gothic
Marks and inscriptions
head of mercury (small French export mark for gold and silver from 1840 struck twice: on proper right side of base, and on proper right side of rim of lid)
Gallery label
  • Jewelled Silver Casket About 1851 Shown at the Great Exhibition, London 1851 Gueyton was awarded a Council Medal at the Great Exhibition. When the Museum bought this casket by him, it commented, 'Notwithstanding the general form is too architectural for a work of ornament and many portions are out of scale, it may be studied with advantage, as a good example of surface decoration. The execution, also, is very perfect.' France, Paris; designed and made by Alexandre Gueyton Oxidised silver, with rubies and half pearls Bought at the exhibition for £36(05/04/2017)
  • 'American and European Art and Design 1800-1900' This casket was bought for £36 from the London 1851 Great Exhibition at which Gueyton was awarded a Council Medal. The committe responsible for its purchase commented: 'Notwithstanding the general form is too architectural for a work of ornament and many portions are out of scale: it may be studied with advantage, as a good example of surface decoration. The execution, also, is very perfect.' The casket was selected for electrotype reproduction by Elkington & Co., of Birmingham, whose versions cost between five guineas and £7 in 1869.(1987-2006)
Object history
This casket was bought for £36 from the London 1851 Great Exhibition at which Gueyton was awarded a Council Medal. The committee responsible for its purchase commented:

'Notwithstanding the general form is too architectural for a work of ornament and many portions are out of scale: it may be studied with advantage, as a good example of surface decoration. The execution, also, is very perfect.'

The casket was selected for electrotype reproduction by Elkington & Co., of Birmingham, whose versions cost between five guineas and £7 in 1869.
Associated object
REPRO.1854D-40 (Reproduction)
Bibliographic reference
Angus Patterson, "The Perfect Marriage of Art and Industry: Elkingtons and the South Kensington Museum's Electrotype Collection", The Journal of the Antique Metalware Society, Vol. 20, June 2012, pp. 56-77, ill. p. 60
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
155-1852

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O15402/casket-gueyton-alexandre/
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