"Brooch With Birds In Hardened Wood And 18 Carat Gold Strapping, Napoleon III Period"
Lovely and unusual Napoleon III gold-rimmed brooch representing a bird's nest. The material is hardened wood. The Bois Durci factory was patented in Paris in 1856 by Francois Lepage and was made by mixing very fine sawdust, usually ebony or rosewood, with albumin - the sticky substance found in blood or the eggs- and combining the two in a steel pan under heat and pressure. 18-carat solid gold strapping hallmarked eagle's head. Napoleon III period around 1860. Delivery 14 euros in France, 25 euros in the EU and 50 euros rest of the world.