Cigarette case; France, 19th century.

Cigarette case; France, 19th century.
Silver and gold.
Bears hallmarks.
Measurements: 1.5 x 9.5 x 7.5 cm.
Weight: 223 g.
Crafted in silver and embellished with a delicate, chiseled gold plate, the piece combines the structural simplicity of its rectangular form with exuberant arabesque-inspired plant motifs, where intertwined stems, leaves, and floral designs unfold with an extraordinary sense of rhythm and symmetry.
Its ornamentation reflects the historicist taste that characterized French decorative arts in the second half of the 19th century, a period in which workshops revived and reinterpreted ornamental repertoires from the Renaissance, the Rococo, and Islamic traditions, adapting them to the new tastes of a bourgeoisie increasingly interested in luxury objects. In this context, cigarette cases ceased to be mere functional containers and became symbols of social distinction, reflecting the style and good taste of their owners.