





Antique French Guilloche Enamel Vanity Set – Cobalt Blue, Gilt Bronze Ormolu, Neoclassical Medallions, Mirror Brushes Boxes, France 1900s
A dressing table that belonged to someone with exquisite taste — this complete French vanity set is the kind of thing you find once and remember always. Eight pieces of cobalt blue guilloche enamel and gilt bronze, each one a small masterpiece of Belle Époque craftsmanship.
Every surface shimmers with engine-turned guilloche enamel — translucent cobalt blue glass fused over a machine-engraved wave pattern in the metal beneath, creating an effect like sunlight on deep water. At the centre of each piece sits a neoclassical medallion depicting Cupid and Psyche in a garden bower, rendered in raised relief with the blue-on-blue tonality of a fine cameo. The gilt bronze mounts surrounding each enamel panel are cast with remarkable precision: beaded borders, pierced gallery rails on the boxes, and a delicate flower-basket finial crowning the hand mirror. This level of metalwork places the set firmly in the tradition of Parisian ateliers that supplied Europe's most discerning households at the turn of the century.
The set comprises a hand mirror, hair brush, pair of clothes brushes, round trinket box, rectangular keepsake box with key and lock, and grooming tools — all sharing the same cobalt enamel and medallion motif. The boxes retain their original silk linings, and the brushes their natural bristles. Displayed together on a marble-top dresser or vanity tray, they transform an everyday surface into something out of a period film. Individually, each piece works as a sculptural accent in a grandmillennial bedroom or an old money powder room.
Details
- Type
- Vanity / Dressing Table Set (8+ pieces)
- Origin
- France
- Era
- Circa 1900s–1920s (Belle Époque / Early Art Deco)
- Material
- Gilt bronze (ormolu) with guilloche enamel
- Colour
- Cobalt blue translucent enamel over engine-turned ground
- Design
- Neoclassical Cupid & Psyche medallion on each piece
- Pieces
- Hand mirror, hair brush, 2 clothes brushes, round box, rectangular box with key, grooming tools
- Box Interior
- Original silk lining
- Markings
- Unmarked (consistent with French workshops of the period)
Condition
Very good antique condition for a set of this age. Guilloche enamel is intact across all pieces with no major losses, chips, or cracks — the blue surface retains its full depth and shimmer. Gilt bronze shows a warm, even patina with expected minor wear to high points. Original bristles present on all brushes. Lock and key on rectangular box function. Silk linings show age-appropriate wear. No repairs detected. Please review all photos as part of the condition record.
Backstamp & Pattern

- Era
- Circa 1900s–1920s (Belle Époque / Early Art Deco)
- Mark on base
- Unmarked (consistent with French workshops of the period)
The base carries the maker's printed mark; the wording — especially “England” versus “Made in England” versus “Bone China” — together with any pattern or registration number are the main clues to its age.
Read the full backstamp & pattern guide →


