Turned And Openwork Ivory Cups From The Early 19th Century

Two ivory cups that can form a pair. Each cup rests on a circular base pierced and openworked. A fluted shaft with decreasing elements supports a flared cut. Each cut has a pierced body. One of them has a polylobed, pierced and drooping border. Probably Dieppois work. First half of the 19th century. Restoration.

The art of turning on ivory or wood comes from the Renaissance and took off in the 17th century in Germany. The art of turning allowed the creation of spectacular pieces called "tour de force" including spheres, towers and cups. These parts were kept in cabinets or mechanical cabinets. At the end of the 18th century, Louis XVI admired the pieces in the cabinet of Nicolas Grollier de Servières in Lyon. In 1780, the mechanic Merclein performed a marvelous trick for King Louis XVI. "During the first half of the 19th century, the manufacture of eccentric pieces and other tower masterpieces flourished among the Dieppe ivory makers"

Cup n°1: 11.5 x 8.4 x 8.4 cm.
Cup n°2: 10.5 x 7.7 x 7.7 cm.

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