Pair of signed Arts and Crafts / Art Nouveau casket boxes made of mother of pearl mounted in gilt silver with figures of women and trees. Made late 19th century. Each casket is a little over 3 1/4 inches long at the back and 1 5/8 inches high. The front is convex or bowed. The lid is mounted in a sterling silver, gilt washed frame, with deviates in the front center to form a marvellous depiction of a maiden standing over an arch, in front of a flowering tree. There are many levels: the background is the white mother of pearl that forms most of the box. WIthin the arch of the metal, it is iridescent in shades that glitter with the angle that light catches it - from pink through green to yellow. The relief sculpted tree with chrysanthemums on top shows typical aesthetic movement attention to stretched and stylised natural forms. The gilding is worn in many parts on the silver. The top of each box has a raised silver monogram MTC. The back of each box is hallmarked with a head facing right and a maker''s mark A.F. WHile Alexander Fisher might have made something like these boxes, he worked in England, so we are still ignorant of the actual maker, AF. Status: For Sale Reference#: 3378 Condition: good Year: 1898 Title: PR SGND ARTS CRAFTS NOUVEAU MOP SILVER BOX CASKET WOMAN

Decorative Interior
Antique Boxes & Caddies