Dress up the parlor before the Empress Eugenie comes to tea. Plates of the very latest 1860 Parisian furniture styles. D. Guilmard, artist and publisher. Published in Paris. One lot found on the website of rare book dealer Justin Croft.

Borne pour milieu de salon. Étoffes de la maison Constant Bouhours 1860s. French. Le Garde-meuble ancien et moderne, Collection de Sièges. Number 668. D. Guilmard, artist. Destouches, Paris, lithographer. Image © 2023 Justin Croft. Fair use license. via https://www.justincroft.com/book/8060/furniture/sieges/
Fauteuil et chaise de salon Louis XVI: d’après un modèle du temps. 1860. French. D. Guilmard, artist. Destouches, Paris, lithographer. Le Garde-meuble Collection de Sièges Number 709. Publie par D.Guilmard Rue de Lancry, 2, Paris. Image © 2023 Justin Croft. Fair use license. via https://www.justincroft.com/book/8060/furniture/sieges/
Écrans bambo. Fabrique de M. Weber. Paris. 1860. French. Le Magasin de Meubles Plan Number 93. Publie and Dess e par Victor Quetin, Faubourg Saint Antoine 55 au 3. Image © 2023 Justin Croft. Fair use license. via https://www.justincroft.com/book/8060/furniture/sieges/
Écran à coulisse; Écran à lumière: Écran à pivot (I think). 1860. French. Decan, Paris, lithographer. Le Garde-meuble, Collection de Sièges Number 509. Publie par D.Guilmard Rue de Lancry, 2, Paris. Image © 2023 Justin Croft. Fair use license. via https://www.justincroft.com/book/8060/furniture/sieges/
Causeuse fontange. Étoffes de la maison Constant Bouhours, Passamenterie de la maison A. DéForge. 1860. French. D. Guilmard, artist. Le Garde Meuble Collection de Sièges. Number 798. Image © 2023 Justin Croft. Fair use license. via https://www.justincroft.com/book/8060/furniture/sieges/
Siège siamois a trois places avec trois places supplementaires. Descartes tapissier Paris. 1860s. French. D Guilmard, artist. Destouches, Paris, lithographer. Le Garde Meuble Collection de Sièges Number 600. Image © 2023 Justin Croft. Fair use license. via https://www.justincroft.com/book/8060/furniture/sieges/
Canapé a trois médaillons (accotoirs à  renvers. D. Guilmard, artist. Destouches, Paris, lithographer. Le Garde Meuble Collection de Sièges Number 576. Publie par D.Guilmard Rue de Lancry, 2, Paris. Image © 2023 Justin Croft. Fair use license. via https://www.justincroft.com/book/8060/furniture/sieges/

Look like the Empress Eugenie if only for an afternoon. Images from an album of 50 watercolors depicting women’s fashions for the years. 1867-1868, created in Paris, France. By an anonymous artist who must have been a highly accomplished fashion artist. Found on the website of antiquarian book dealer Justin Croft.

Lady wearing a white, green and blue dress with a matching hat. From an album of 50 watercolors depicting women’s fashions for the years. 1867-1868 that was created in Paris, France by an anonymous artist. Image © 2023 Justin Croft. Fair use license. via https://www.justincroft.com/book/7568/fashion/an-album-of-50-watercolours-depicting-womens-fashion/
Young woman or teenager in a pale blue and white dress with a large bow worn with a velvet? jacket and a veiled hat. From an album of 50 watercolors depicting women’s fashions for the years. 1867-1868 that was created in Paris, France by an anonymous artist. Image © 2023 Justin Croft. Fair use license. via https://www.justincroft.com/book/7568/fashion/an-album-of-50-watercolours-depicting-womens-fashion/
Woman wearing a mask, her braided hair tied with a red ribbon. From an album of 50 watercolors depicting women’s fashions for the years. 1867-1868 that was created in Paris, France by an anonymous artist. Image © 2023 Justin Croft. Fair use license. via https://www.justincroft.com/book/7568/fashion/an-album-of-50-watercolours-depicting-womens-fashion/
Woman wearing a winter ensemble in green and brown with a jacket, her hair tied with a blue ribbon. From an album of 50 watercolors depicting women’s fashions for the years. 1867-1868 that was created in Paris, France by an anonymous artist. Image © 2023 Justin Croft. Fair use license. via https://www.justincroft.com/book/7568/fashion/an-album-of-50-watercolours-depicting-womens-fashion/
Dark haired woman dressed in a red and white striped dress and shawl. From an album of 50 watercolors depicting women’s fashions for the years. 1867-1868 that was created in Paris, France by an anonymous artist. Image © 2023 Justin Croft. Fair use license. via https://www.justincroft.com/book/7568/fashion/an-album-of-50-watercolours-depicting-womens-fashion/
Barefoot woman wearing a blue and white skirt and carrying a shepardess’s crook. From an album of 50 watercolors depicting women’s fashions for the years. 1867-1868 that was created in Paris, France by an anonymous artist. Image © 2023 Justin Croft. Fair use license. via https://www.justincroft.com/book/7568/fashion/an-album-of-50-watercolours-depicting-womens-fashion/
Young woman dressed in a blue dress with a brown over skirt and an orange/red shawl. From an album of 50 watercolors depicting women’s fashions for the years. 1867-1868 that was created in Paris, France by an anonymous artist. Image © 2023 Justin Croft. Fair use license. via https://www.justincroft.com/book/7568/fashion/an-album-of-50-watercolours-depicting-womens-fashion/

Exotic looking ladies, mostly lying around. Georges Antoine Rochegrosse, artist. Living from 1859 to 1938, he was a French decorative and historical painter.

Flirt d’autrefois. Undated, by 1938. French. Oil on canvas. Georges Antoine Rochegrosse, painter (1859-1938). Signed G Rochegrosse on the lower left. Image © 2022 Sotheby’s. Fair use license. via https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2022/tableaux-dessins-sculptures-1300-1900/flirt-dautrefois

Portrait of Sarah Bernhardt. Undated, 19th c. French. Oil. Georges Antoine Rochegrosse, painter (1859-1938). Signed G Rochegrosse on the lower left. Image source: aguttes.auction.fr. In the public domain in the United States because the artist died over 70 years ago. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Georges_Antoine_Rochegrosse_-_Sarah_Bernhardt.jpg

La Promenade de la courtisane. Undated, late 19th c. French. Oil on canvas. Image source gazette.drouot.com. Georges Antoine Rochegrosse, painter (1859-1938). In the public domain in the United States because the artist has been dead over 70 years. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Georges-Antoine_Rochegrosse_-_La_Promenade_de_la_courtisane.jpg

Fancy eye baths (baignore d’yeux) all in porcelain. Whether they help your eyes more than the plastic CVS kind I don’t know but for sure these are more fun to look at.

Three Sèvres eye baths (bagnoire d’yeux). A bleu céleste example with gilt dentil rim by Buteux; a blue-ground example with gilt white scrollwork and harebells; and a cobalt-blue example painted with a floral garland. Also a Chantilly example in blue and white. Second half of the 18th century. French. Makers marks: two of the Sèvres examples with blue interlaced L’s marks; one with a gilder’s mark for P. T. Buteux; the Chantilly example with a blue hunting horn mark. Image © CHRISTIE’S 2022. Fair use license. via https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/collector-english-european-furniture-ceramics-silver-works-art/three-sevres-porcelain-eye-baths-baignoire-dyeux-chantilly-eye-bath-32/146142?ldp_breadcrumb=back

Porcelain eyebath decorated with delicate and finely painted red roses amongst green and gilt flora with a spread eagle bird in flight at either end. The stem is decorated with gilt leaves and the rim and edges are in gilt. ca. 1880-1899. French. Unsigned. Image © 2022 Phisick. Fair use license. via https://phisick.com/item/19th-c-paris-porcelain-eye-bath/



Eye bath of hard-paste porcelain. Oval cup on funnel foot. Hard-paste eye bath with an oval cup on a funnel foot. Purple ground with two lobed reserves with Höroldt chinoiseries and a gilt lace ornament inside the rim. The interior with a chinoiserie framed by gilt scrolls enclosing lustre panels and laub-und bandelwerk in iron-red and purple. 1730-1735. German. Meissen Porcelain Factory, maker. Maker’s marks: Crossed swords factory mark, in underglaze blue. Image © Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2021. Fair use license. via https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O307059/eye-bath-meissen-porcelain-factory/

More pochoir prints from the folio “Viñetas decorativas según el gusto del día. 30 láminas iluminadas a mano.” By Enrique Gillet, it was published by A. Morance of Paris in 1922.

Page 37, Plate 13 from Viñetas decorativas según el gusto del día. 30 láminas iluminadas a mano. 1922. French. Collections of and digitalized by the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/vietasdecorativa00umbd/page/n36/mode/1up
Page 38, Plate 11 from Viñetas decorativas según el gusto del día. 30 láminas iluminadas a mano. 1922. French. Collections of and digitalized by the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/vietasdecorativa00umbd/page/n39/mode/1up
Page 40, Plate 15 from Viñetas decorativas según el gusto del día. 30 láminas iluminadas a mano. 1922. French. Collections of and digitalized by the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/vietasdecorativa00umbd/page/n40/mode/1up
Number 16 Page 42 from Viñetas decorativas según el gusto del día. 30 láminas iluminadas a mano. 1922. French. Collections of and digitalized by the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/vietasdecorativa00umbd/page/n42/mode/1up
Number 17, Page 44 from Viñetas decorativas según el gusto del día. 30 láminas iluminadas a mano. 1922. French. Collections of and digitalized by the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/vietasdecorativa00umbd/page/n44/mode/1up
Number 18, Page 46 from Viñetas decorativas según el gusto del día. 30 láminas iluminadas a mano. 1922. French. Collections of and digitalized by the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/vietasdecorativa00umbd/page/n44/mode/1up
from Viñetas decorativas según el gusto del día. 30 láminas iluminadas a mano. Image 24, Page 59. 1922. French. Collections of and digitalized by the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/vietasdecorativa00umbd/page/n59/mode/1up
from Viñetas decorativas según el gusto del día. 30 láminas iluminadas a mano. Image 26, page 62. 1922. French. Collections of and digitalized by the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/vietasdecorativa00umbd/page/n62/mode/1up
from Viñetas decorativas según el gusto del día. 30 láminas iluminadas a mano. Image 30, page 70. 1922. French. Collections of and digitalized by the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Library. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/vietasdecorativa00umbd/page/n70/mode/1up

Living a sort of exciting life back a bit . . .maybe it looked like that, maybe it didn’t. Crowd scenes painted by Pierre-Nolasque Bergeret who lived from 1782 to 1863. Studied with Jacques-Louis David.

Découverte du Laocoon. Undated, by 1863. French. Oil on canvas. Signed PBergeret on the center right, on the pedestal. Image © 2021 Sothebys. Fair use license. via https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2022/the-european-art-sale-part-ii-2/decouverte-du-laocoon-the-discovery-of-the-laocoon
Saint Louis à Damiette. ca. 1819. French. Oil painting. Image source: Paris Musées. Collections of the Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris. Cc0 License 1.0. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pierre-Nolasque_Bergeret_-Saint_Louis%C3%A0_Damiette_-PDUT1793-_Mus%C3%A9e_des_Beaux-Arts_de_la_ville_de_Paris.jpg
La Morte d’Henri IV. Undated, by 1863. French. Image © 1996 RMN-Grand Palais (musée du Louvre) / René-Gabriel Ojéda. Louvre Museum. Fair use license. via https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010057789

 



Cassolettes to jazz up your New Years Eve buffet table. None of that boring IKEA stuff.

P Pair of urn form enamel cassolettes, painted on a dark blue ground with red and gilt urns trailing flowers and formal borders, with the covers reversing to sconces, hung with chains. ca. 1780. English. Image © 2021 Sothebys. Fair use license. via https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2022/the-collection-of-mr-and-mrs-peter-a-pfaffenroth-american-furniture-silver-and-decorative-arts/pair-of-english-enamel-cassolettes-circa-1780
A fine pair of antique English neoclassical porcelain and doré bronze mounted two handled Cassolettes. Each having a pair of ram’sPair of Neoclassical porcelain and doré bronze mounted two handled cassolettes. Each cassolette having a pair of ram’s heads terminating and connecting each handle to the body, all resting on a double tier stepped pedestal base. ca. early 1800s. English. Attributed to Mathew Boulton (1728-1809). Image © 1stDibs.com, Inc. 2021. Fair use license. via https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/decorative-objects/vases-vessels/vases/fine-pair-of-antique-english-porcelain-ormolu-cassolettes-att-matthew-boulton/id-f_3239423/
Pair of tall ormolu mounted malachite cassolettes. Each cassolette having a large malachite bowl, supporting a fluted ormolu cover, topped with a berry finial with the berry finial detailing mirrored vertically below with a berry drop finial mounted to the base of the bowl. The bowls being held in place upon triform supports with bearded, elfin masks leading to cabriole legs that terminate in hoof feet, The center of the support with a scrolling and twisting snake, which features lifelike stippling to create the effect of scales. Both cassolettes are mounted on triform plinths of malachite and are set upon ormolu toupie feet. Late 19th c. Neoclassical. French. Maker not given. Image © 2021 Mayfair Gallery Limited. Fair use license. via https://www.mayfairgallery.com/pair-french-ormolu-mounted-malachite-cassolettes



Lapis lazuli smoking accessories. Art Deco. One cigarette box with a matching lipstick.

Gold mounted lapis lazuli cigarette case of upright form with rounded corners, the double threefold clasp centered with a ruby cabochon. ca. 1925. Art Deco. Continental. Apparently unmarked. Image © 2021 Sothebys. Fair use license. via https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/a-gentlemans-cabinet-of-curiosities-the-collection-of-the-late-naim-attallah-cbe/an-art-deco-style-carved-lapis-lazuli-cigarette
Gem-set cigarette case with a rectangular outline. Carved lapis lazuli centering on a central triangular-shaped panel formed by fluted frosted rock crystal, accented by lozenge-shaped and calibré-cut diamonds and a cabochon jadeite, the center of intricately carved lapis lazuli flowers with diamond collet pistils. The corners further accented by two sugarloaf jadeite details. Single-cut diamond pushpiece opening to reveal a compartment. Mounted in white gold. ca. 1928. French. Van Cleef and Arpels, maker. Maker’s marks: Signed Van Cleef and Arpels, Paris, no. 31057; maker’s mark for Lacloche Frères; French assay mark. Image © Christie’s 2021. Fair use license. via https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-3888165
Matching cigarette case and lipstick baton. Gold inlaid turquoise, lapis lazuli, diamonds and cut sapphires. ca. 1929. Lent by a private collection for an exhibition at the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York. ID#13.2016.49. Image Cooper Hewitt Museum. Fair use license. via https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/420577147/
Cigarette holder. Tortoiseshell trumpet with a gem-set collar, lapis lazuli tip and gold detail, to an ivory stem and tortoiseshell bowl. ca. 1930. French, made in Paris by Cartier. Maker’s marks: French assay mark. Signed Cartier, Paris, maker’s mark, Number 01544.”. Image © Christie’s 2021. Fair use license. via https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-an-ivory-tortoiseshell-gold-and-lapis-lazuli-5429620/?

Mushrooms. Maybe a few toadstools, too. Lithographic plates from M. E. Descourtilz’s 1827 “Atlas des Champignons.” Collections of the Lloyd Library and Museum. Images courtesy of the publicdomainreview.org and the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

“Champignons Comestibles.” Page 8. Collections of the Lloyd Library and Museum. Added by the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. biodiversitylibrary.org. via https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/atlas-des-champignons
“Champignons Comestibles.” Page 11. Collections of the Lloyd Library and Museum. Added by the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. biodiversitylibrary.org. via https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/atlas-des-champignons
“Champignons Suspects.” Page 20. Collections of the Lloyd Library and Museum. Added by the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. biodiversitylibrary.org. via https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/atlas-des-champignons
“Champignons Vénéneux.” Page 32. Collections of the Lloyd Library and Museum. Added by the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. biodiversitylibrary.org. via https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/atlas-des-champignons

Animals in art, painted by Nicolas II Huet (Nicolas Huet the Younger). Living from 1770 to 1830, he came from a family of artists. Huet produced a series of 246 animal drawings on vellum for the library of the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle.

A white dwarf Spitz. 1820. French. Watercolor and body color on vellum. Signed and dated “Huet 1820.” Image © Christie’s 2021. Fair use license. via https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-nicolas-ii-huet-paris-1770-1830-a-white-6327165/?from=salesummary&intObjectID=6327165&lid=1&ldp_breadcrumb=back
“The Indian Elephant.” 1810. French. Pen and brown ink and watercolor, with touches of gouache, over traces of an underdrawing in black chalk, on vellum laid down on board. Signed and dated “huet fils 1810” at the lower right. Inscribed “L’Elephant femelle, Elephas indien, / Par huet peintre du Muséum d’histoire naturelle à Paris” on the reverse. Image © Stephen Ongpin Fine Art. Fair use license. via https://www.stephenongpin.com/object/790592/0/an-indian-elephant
“A Striated Monkey on a Branch.” 1813. French. Pen and brown ink and watercolor, over an underdrawing in black chalk, on vellum laid down on board. Signed and dated “Huet 1813″ in gold at the lower left. Inscribed ” Ouistiti, Jacchus vulgaris. G. ST. H.” in gold at the lower right center. Numbered cf. 58 and 81 on the reverse. Image © Stephen Ongpin Fine Art. Fair use license. via https://www.stephenongpin.com/object/806003/0/nicolas-ii-huet-paris-1770-paris-1828
“Study of the Giraffe given to Charlex X by the Viceroy of Egypt.” A watercolor depiction of the first giraffe ever seen in France, alongside the groom who would look after it for the next 18 years. 1827. French. Watercolor. Image source; ebay.com. In the public domain in the United States because the artist died over 100 years ago. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nicolas_Huet03.jpg