Charpenat – Vinegar cruet Paris 1783, Louvre model - Saint-Louis decanters

Elegant oil and vinegar cruet set in solid silver by Jean-Pierre CHARPENAT, Supplier of the Crown. The boat-shaped basin rests on four feet with windings attached to large acanthus leaves and pearls. The violin tray is decorated with friezes of pearls, acanthus leaves and grapes.
The two cork holders are decorated with beaded and foliated cartouches with its two corks decorated with friezes of beaded nets and gadroons on a matte background, the seed grips emerging from vine branches. The cruet holders are pierced with pilasters formed of foliage resting on an architectural base, shells, beaded nets and falling vine branches. In the central part is a long handle with a beaded grip ring.

Hallmarks:
• On the basin: Paris, charge, Jurande 1784, griffin's head for décharge.
• On a cruet holder: "Charge de moyen ouvrage", Jurande 1783, "décharge ouvrage moyen".
• On the other burette holder: "Charge de moyen ouvrage", Maison commune 1784, "décharge ouvrage moyen".
• Master goldsmith: JCP for Jean-Pierre CHARPENAT.

Silver weight: 1,54 pounds (698 grams).

18th century, Louis XVI period.


The two cut-crystal decanters are later and come from the prestigious SAINT-LOUIS house. This is the Trianon model, which is the first glass service model created by the SAINT-LOUIS house during the first third of the 19th century. The so-called "oil bottles" of this model are rare.


Jean-Pierre CHARPENAT, Supplier of the Crown during Louis XVI period, was master in Paris in 1782. He died in 1806.
He is the goldsmith who makes the famous travel kit for Queen MARIE-ANTOINETTE as well as its replica, ordered by the Queen in 1791 for her sister MARIE-CHRISTINE but intended to be taken with the luggage of the royal family, during the flight which ended at Varennes.


Same model than the vinegar oil cruet made by Jean-Pierre CHARPENAT and kept in the collections of the MUSÉE DU LOUVRE in Paris.
The bowl is identical, the cruet holders differs, although they remain in the same iconography with this decoration of bunches of grapes and beaded threads dear to the goldsmith. The caps are also identical, only the grip differ, ours being more sophisticated than those of the Louvre, formed of simple balls.


MUSEUMS AND PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS

• MUSÉE DU LOUVRE, PARIS – Nécessaire de voyage de Marie-Antoinette – silver, gold, copper, ebony, Paris, 1787-1789.
• MUSÉE DU LOUVRE, PARIS – Huilier – silver, crystal, Paris, 1787.
• MUSÉE INTERNATIONAL DE LA PARFUMERIE, GRASSE – Coffret nécessaire de voyage dit de la reine Marie-Antoinette – acajou, cuivre, peau, argent, ébène, ivoire, miroir, porcelaine dure, cristal, vermeil, papier, fil, bois, tissu, Paris, 1791.
• METROPOLITAN MUSEUM, NEW-YORK – Traveling candlestick – silver, Paris, 1788-1789.
• BASILIQUE SAINT-SERNIN, TOULOUSE, TRESOR – Calice – silver, Paris, 1798-1809, listed as a Historic Monument on 22 June 1992.
• ÉGLISE PAROISSIALE NOTRE-DAME SAINT-JEAN-BAPTISTE, FRESNAY-LE-SAMSON – Coffret – silver, Paris, 2nd half of the 18th century.
• ÉGLISE PAROISSIALE SAINT-GERVAIS SAINT-PROTAIS, LE GRAND-PRESSIGNY – Ciboire des malades – partially gilded silver, Paris, 1782-1790.
• ÉGLISE PAROISSIALE SAINT-VINCENT, PANZOULT – Ciboire – partially gilded silver, Paris, 1782-1790.
• ÉGLISE PAROISSIALE SAINT-PIERRE, SAINT-EBONS, TRESOR – Ciboire des malades – partially gilded silver, Paris, 1782-1790.
• PRIEURE DE BENEDICTINS SAINT-DENIS, SAINT-DENIS D’OLERON – Patène – silver, Paris, 1798-1809.


BIBLIOGRAPHY

• DURAND Jannic, BIMBRENET-PRIVAT Michèle, DASSAS Frédéric, "Décors, mobilier et objets d’art du musée du Louvre – De Louis XIV à Marie-Antoinette", Paris, Louvre Éditions, 2014.
• MADAME CAMPAN, "Mémoires de Madame Campan, première femme de chambre de Marie-Antoinette", 1988.
• MARIE-ANTOINETTE ; SETH Catriona, presented by, "Lettres inédites", Albin Michel, 2019.


EXHIBITIONS

• "Parfums et flacons au XVIIIe siècle", Musée International de la Parfumerie, Grasse, 12 May - 15 September 1994
• "Nécessaire de voyage dit de Marie-Antoinette", Musée des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon, Versailles, 6 January - 29 March 2005.