19thC Grand Tour Set Signed Leopold Oudry French Bronze Casket Intaglios Pearls For Sale

The Grand Tour CollectionThis curated lot presents a sophisticated "vignette" of 19th-century travel souvenirs, centered around a rare, signed work by one of the pioneers of French electrochemical art. The entire set were found as-is at an estate sale of a prolific collector, with the other objects inside the casket.

• Signed Léopold Oudry Casket:A magnificent French jewelry or "keepsake" box created using the galvanoplasty technique—a process where silver and copper are electrochemically deposited onto a base. This specific model features high-relief panels depicting aquatic mythology, including river gods and Poseidon-themed imagery.
• Oval Plaster Intaglio (#164):An authenticated Grand Tour "impronte" (impression) depicting a recumbent classical water deity. Hand-incised with catalog number164on the reverse, identifying it within historical reference collections like those from the Paoletti workshop.
• Round Plaster Intaglio (#45):A second authenticated cast featuring a reclining figure beneath a tree with a bird. Hand-incised with library index number45.
• Estate-Found Pearls:Two loose pearls discovered within the casket, completing this unique historical find. Based on the age of all other objects, it is highly possible that they are natural pearls and not cultured, but they have not been x-rayed or otherwise tested.

Condition NotesThe set is inAntique Goodcondition. The Oudry casket shows wonderful age-appropriate patina with expected wear to the silvered surfaces, typical of 19th-century galvanoplasty. Plaster intaglios remain crisp with minor edge chipping as expected for 200-year-old plaster.Catalog & Historical Authenticity

• Léopold Oudry:Founded his electrochemical company in 1854 at 10, rue Cuissard, Paris. He won medals at the 1855 Paris World Fair and 1862 London Exhibition. His work is noted for its technical precision and is often found in high-end collections alongside makers like Christofle.
• The Intaglio Legacy:The hand-incised numbers on the reverse of the intaglios correspond to the catalogs used by elite travelers to identify classical sculptures in the Vatican or Capitoline museums. These served as "portable cabinets of curiosities" for 19th-century scholars.