French Marquetry Tantalus Traveling Liquor Chest, c. 1850, Paris

French marquetry tantalus travelling liquor chest, c. 1850,…
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French marquetry tantalus travelling liquor chest, c. 1850, tulip, King and palisander wood, with geometric decoration, olive green water weave silk lined interior, comprising four glass bottles with stops, a silver funnel and a cup, mark of Pierre Hippolyte Fournerot, Paris (active between 1833-1857), height 17 cm, width 21 cm, depth 23 cm. Provenance: Ben Stoner Antiques, Sydney

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  • Amaranth / Purpleheart / Palisander - Amaranth, also called "purpleheart" and palisander is a hardwood obtained flowering plants in tropical regions of Central and South America, where they grow in rainforests. When the trees are cut, the timber turns from a dark brown to a rich purple colour. It is mainly used for veneering and decorative features on furniture, and is extremely dense when dry.
  • Tantalus - A tantalus is a container for holding two or three glass or crystal bottles of alchoholic drinks. A tantalus may take various forms, the most common being made from silver, silver plate or wood with the three bottles in a circle or two bottles in line with a central handle. A larger version has three bottles in a line with two end supports and a horizontal top and handle. To prevent unauthorised access, some tantalus have a locking mecahnism that prevents the bottles and stoppers being removed from the bottles when secured.

    A box tantalus, as the name implies is an elaborate wooden box made of a fancy timber such as coramandel, with divisions for the bottles and a lockable lid. Some of these type are designed for liquers and include the liquer glasses set into fitted holders.

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