rare 19th century antique french gilt bronze-mounted nautilus shell chalice
rare 19th century antique french gilt bronze-mounted nautilus shell chalice
Description
A rare 19th-century French cabinet de curiosités treasure, this extraordinary shell chalice combines the poetry of the natural world with the craftsmanship of the Parisian bronze ateliers. A sculptural natural shell—chosen for its dramatic fluting and soft blush tones—rests upon a cast bronze Rococo tripod base, richly detailed with scrolling volutes and paw feet.
These mounted shells were prized throughout the 1800s as objects of wonder: displayed in parlour rooms, curiosity cabinets, and later in artists’ studios and private libraries. Each one was handmade, the shell drilled and secured with a bronze screw, then set into a custom-fitted foliate mount. No two are ever identical.
This piece has the perfect balance of age and character: a beautifully worn gilded patina, a naturally shaped shell with organic coloration, and the unmistakable marks of 19th-century hand-work beneath.
A striking object for a console, bookshelf, or vignette — especially for lovers of Parisian antiques, dark academia, or natural-history inspired interiors.
Dimensions:
4.75” high total, 5” x 3” shell cup, 3.25” widest point at base
