French Silver Inkwell with Guilloché Enamel

This is a nice example of French silverwork, combining high-purity sterling silver with the delicate artistry of guilloché enamel.

Description

This French silver inkstand consists of a circular, saucer-shaped underplate with a central, integrated inkwell. The piece is crafted in the Louis XVI Revival style, which was highly popular in Paris around the turn of the 20th century.

• The Base: The tray features a wide, shallow well and a distinctive beaded (perlé) rim, a classic neoclassical motif. The silver has a soft, lustrous patina typical of high-grade French silver.
• The Inkwell Body: The central vessel is the focal point, featuring a vibrant, translucent cerulean blue enamel over a machine-engraved ground. This enameled core is encased in an intricate silver lattice or basket-weave overlay. This “filigree” style allows the light to pass through the silver “windows,” catching the textured pattern of the enamel beneath.
• The Lid & Finial: The domed, hinged lid is decorated with radiating gadroons and a matching beaded border. It is crowned by a finely cast pinecone (or artichoke) finial, symbolizing longevity and rejuvenation.

Understanding Guilloché Enamel

Guilloché (pronounced gee-oh-shay) is a decorative technique that involves two distinct stages:

1. Engine Turning: A craftsman uses a specialized lathe (called a rose engine) to mechanically engrave precise, repetitive, and intricate geometric patterns into the surface of the silver. These patterns—often waves, zigzags, or sunbursts—create a shimmering effect.
2. Enameling: A layer of translucent colored glass (enamel) is applied over the engraved metal and fired in a kiln. Because the enamel is translucent, the engine-turned pattern remains visible through the color, catching and reflecting light like a gemstone.

Marks and Identification

Based on the hallmarks, we can identify both the silver quality and the prestigious maker:

• The Purity Mark (Minerva): The small profile of a woman’s head in a rectangle with clipped corners is the Minerva 1st Standard hallmark. This guarantees a silver purity of 950/1000 (95% pure silver), which is higher than the British Sterling standard of 925.
• The Maker’s Mark: The lozenge-shaped stamp contains the initials G and B with a small symbol in the center. This is the mark of Georges Boin, of the famed Parisian firm Boin-Taburet.
  • The Symbol: The tiny object between the initials is a tabouret (a small footstool), a play on the name of his partner and father-in-law, Emile Taburet.
• Date: This specific mark was used by the firm between approximately 1875 and 1900. Given the refined “Louis XVI” neoclassical elements and the specific blue enamel, a date of circa 1890–1900 is most likely.

Boin-Taburet was one of the most celebrated silversmiths in Paris, winning a gold medal at the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle. They were renowned for their “revival” pieces that captured the elegance of 18th-century French royalty.

The video below offers a fascinating look at how the guilloché patterns are created on a vintage rose engine lathe, showing the precision required for a piece like this inkwell.

History of Guilloché Enamel

This video is relevant because it demonstrates the mechanical “engine-turning” process used to create the intricate patterns beneath the blue enamel of this inkwell.