Beschreibung:

An historically important mid 19th century French Imperial Napoleon III gold, diamond and enamel presentation box by Martial Bernard, circa 1864, the hinged lid inset with a portrait miniature of Napoleon III by Passot, within a surround of cushion shaped old brilliant and old cut diamonds, approximately 4.00 carats total, mounted in silver above a gold and blue enamel mount of scrolling foliage and stars, above two coloured gold chased and engraved edges with similarly enamelled sides and base, the inner lid inscribed: 'Offert par L'Empereur a Mr James Allison maire de la Ville de Sunderland Octobre 1864' signed Mal Bernard Joailler du M'tere des Affaires Etrangeres, with French poincons and numbered 316, 9.2cm x 6.2cm x 2.3cm, in the original green velvet fitted and silk lined red leather bound case embossed Martial Bernard, Rue de la Paix No 1, Paris This box was a gift from Napoleon III's Foreign Ministry to James Allison, the Mayor of Sunderland, to commemorate the official visit of the French frigate, La Danae, to Sunderland between September 29th and October 13th 1864. The box is accompanied with the original correspondence, dating from May 1864 to December 1864, between Mayor Allison, Paulin Niboyet (the French Consul in Sunderland), Edouard Drouyn de Lhuys (the French Foreign Minister) and Commodore Thoyon (the Commandant of La Danae and of The French Naval Division of the Icelandic Seas). The letters detail the preparations for the visit and recount the subsequent success as seen by both the British and French. They show that James Allison was keen to take advantage of the Anglo-French Alliance to promote Sunderland as a useful port and trading partner for the French Empire, in competition with other British ports. The letters make it clear the British and French authorities considered the visit an exceptional success, and they express the friendliness shown by the French sailors and the people of Sunderland. This was the first visit of a French warship to Sunderland and generated huge local interest, with local people being allowed aboard. However, a diplomatic incident was averted on Sunday 2nd October 1864, when vast crowds appeared to go aboard La Danae. The Dock Watch authorities feared that the surging crowd would either result in a crush, or people falling into the dock, so they turned the hose of the fire float onto the crowd, and dispersed the throng without any injuries. This historically important box and correspondence illustrate the growing importance of the Anglo-French Alliance in terms of foreign policy and trade between the two Empires, and the continuing British - French rapprochement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leading to the Entente Cordiale in 1904. Provenance: By direct Family Decent