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Nécessaire

Toilette Case or Necessaire
ca. 1750-1751 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Kingwood parquetry box with two handles, lock and hinge of tinned iron and with blue silk lining bordered with silver braid. A mirror is set into the lid protected by a blue silk cushion. The box contains four faceted cylindrical cut-glass bottles and two smaller glass flasks, all six with silver mounts; a covered cup and saucer and toilet pot and cover of Saint-Cloud porcelain, both with silver mounts; a small cup ('timbale'), a fluted dish, a circular lidded box, a funnel, a knife, two bodkins and a combined ear pick and tongue scraper all in silver; and a pair of steel scissors. A folded sheet of paper used to stiffen the loose cushion is inscribed in ink with a list of porcelain and prices paid for it between October 1747 and 28 July 1749.

Mounts: The silver (except the circular box which is probably a replacement) bears discharge marks for 1750-6. The silver cup has the maker's mark of Charles-Nicholas Grebaude (fl. 1722-50/1).


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 28 parts.

  • Box
  • Bottle and Stopper
  • Bottle and Stopper
  • Bottle
  • Bottle and Stopper
  • Bottle
  • Bottle
  • Cup
  • Cover
  • Saucer
  • Pot
  • Cover
  • Dish
  • Cup
  • Funnel
  • Box
  • Cover
  • Knife
  • Ear Pick and Tongue Scraper
  • Bodkin
  • Bodkin
  • Scissors
  • Mirror
  • Stopper
  • Sopper
  • Stopper
  • Cushion
  • Document
Titles
  • Nécessaire
  • Toilette case
Materials and techniques
Kingwood (Dalbergia cearensis), tinned iron, silk, silver braid, glass, porcelain, silver, steel, paper
Brief description
Kingwood 'toilette' case or 'necessaire', containing porcelain made by the Saint-Cloud porcelain factory, France, ca. 1750-1751
Physical description
Kingwood parquetry box with two handles, lock and hinge of tinned iron and with blue silk lining bordered with silver braid. A mirror is set into the lid protected by a blue silk cushion. The box contains four faceted cylindrical cut-glass bottles and two smaller glass flasks, all six with silver mounts; a covered cup and saucer and toilet pot and cover of Saint-Cloud porcelain, both with silver mounts; a small cup ('timbale'), a fluted dish, a circular lidded box, a funnel, a knife, two bodkins and a combined ear pick and tongue scraper all in silver; and a pair of steel scissors. A folded sheet of paper used to stiffen the loose cushion is inscribed in ink with a list of porcelain and prices paid for it between October 1747 and 28 July 1749.

Mounts: The silver (except the circular box which is probably a replacement) bears discharge marks for 1750-6. The silver cup has the maker's mark of Charles-Nicholas Grebaude (fl. 1722-50/1).
Dimensions
  • Height: 17.9cm
  • Open height: 37.3cm
  • Width: 28.5cm
  • Depth: 27.1cm
  • Open depth: 34.5cm
Measured as closed and when open for display of contents
Credit line
Given by Miss H. L. Greenfield in accordance with the wishes of the late Miss M. Bernardine Hall
Bibliographic references
  • Truman, Charles, A Saint-Cloud Price List in the Victoria and Albert Museum, French Porcelain Society Journal, Vol. II, 2005, pp. 24-32.
  • For comparison with a duplicate set see Ceramics & Glass Section Object Information file
  • Bremer-David, Charissa. Paris : Life & Luxury in the Eighteenth Century. Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum, 2011 no.51
Collection
Accession number
C.575-1920

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Record createdJune 7, 2004
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest