Baccarat Punch Bowl, ca. 1890

BACCARAT (France, founded in 1764).
Punch bowl with lid and saucer. France, Napoleon III style, ca. 1890.
Pink opaline glass, with enameled and gilded decoration and applied cabochons.
Measurements: 30 x 30 x 30 cm.

This punch bowl is a refined example of Baccarat’s historicist production in the late 19th century, both for its use of pink opaline glass and for the richness of its enameled and gilded decoration. Its delicate hue is characteristic of the pink opaline traditionally known in France as “rose gorge-de-pigeon,” which is particularly prized for the softness and depth of its color.

The globular body, inspired by the shape of a gourd, is topped with a lid featuring an opening for the ladle and a saucer with a wavy rim. The Oriental-inspired ornamental motifs, rendered in gold, raised enamel, and small dark cabochons, reflect the eclecticism characteristic of French decorative arts in the last third of the 19th century. The piece continues the sumptuous style that developed during the Second Empire.

Decades earlier, Baccarat had established its mastery of opaline glass and decoration with enamel and gold, as demonstrated by various pieces from 1855 and 1867 preserved at the Musée d’Orsay. The company achieved significant international renown following the 1855 Paris World’s Fair and received commissions for the residences of Napoleon III, as well as from numerous European and Asian courts.