Beschreibung:

A FRENCH EMPIRE GOLD-MOUNTED, SILVER-GILT, GILT-BRONZE, MOTHER-OF-PEARL, POLISHED STEEL AND EBONY WRITING NECESSAIRE
MARK OF MARTIN-GUILLAUME-BIENNAIS, PARIS, 1803-1809
A FRENCH EMPIRE GOLD-MOUNTED, SILVER-GILT, GILT-BRONZE, MOTHER-OF-PEARL, POLISHED STEEL AND EBONY WRITING NECESSAIRE MARK OF MARTIN-GUILLAUME-BIENNAIS, PARIS, 1803-1809 Comprising: A silver-gilt square ink-bottle, with detachable female mask chased cover, engraved with initials 'J' and 'N', each below Royal crown , marked underneath and on finial A silver-gilt square pounce-pot, the pivoting cover engraved with initials 'J' and 'N', each below Royal crown, marked underneath and on finial A pair of silver-gilt oblong boxes, engraved with initials 'JN' below a Royal crown, each marked underneath A pair of gilt-bronze hinged single light candle-branches A silver-gilt bell with detachable Imperial eagle finial, engraved with initials 'JN', apparently unmarked A pair of polished steel paper-weights, the gilt metal finials cast as the Medici lion, with cut-steel beaded borders Associated silver-gilt and blue enamel mounted diamond-cut glass bottle, apparently unmarked A gold-inlaid ebony ruler, engraved 'Ancienne Mesure de France' , with palmette terminals, signed ' Biennais Orfévre l'Empereur' A gold-inlaid ebony straight edge, inlaid on one side with initials 'JN' A pair of three-colour gold-mounted steel scissors, mark of Pierre-François Queillé inside each handle A gold compass, with steel points, one detachable with an interchangeable lead holder, with an additional longer lead holder, marked inside and on lead holders A gold divider, with steel points, marked inside Associated gold double ended lead-holder, the two adjustable slides with blue enamel bands, marked near end A gold-mounted mother-of-pearl folding ruler, with graduations in inches and centimeters, signed Biennais Orfévre de S. M. té l'Empereur A gold-mounted mother-of-pearl paper-knife with silver-gilt blade, engraved with initials 'JN' below a Royal crown, marked on blade A gold-mounted mother-of-pearl hand-seal, the detachable matrix with blue enamel bands, carved with the arms of Westphalia with the Imperial eagle in pretence, with similar interchangeable matrix carved with a putto holding an anchor and with a shield with engraved initials, the handle applied with a shield engraved with initials 'JN' below a Royal crown Two differing gold-mounted mother-of-pearl knives with steel blades, the handles each applied with a shield engraved with initials 'JN' below a Royal crown A gold-mounted scoring needle with steel attachments, the handle applied with a shield engraved with initials 'JN' A gold-mounted mother-of-pearl lead holder, the handle perhaps later all contained in a fitted thuya wood box, the exterior inlaid with polished steel borders incorporating initials 'JN' and 'RW' and Royal crowns, further applied with gilt-metal Imperial insignia and with an outer border of laurel leaves and gilt-metal rosettes, fitted inside the cover with a gilt-tooled green leather writing slope, the base with hinged gilt-tooled green leather fitted tray and a detachable ebony tray, each side with palmette and foliage scroll chased border, further chased at each corner with initials 'JN' below Royal crown, with silver-gilt lock plate engraved ' Biennais Orfévre du Sa Majesté l'Empereur' et Roi' the box 21¼ in. (54 cm.) wide The initials are those of Jérôme-Napoléon Bonaparte (1784-1860), King of Westphalia (r. 1807-1813).