A Masriera y Carreras retailed silver gilt enamel box

Price: £1,450

For sale is this slightly unusual addition to the collection, being both modern (c. 1970) and Spanish.  It is nevertheless a fabulous object retailed by the famous Spanish jeweller Masriera y Carreras.   Its history dates back to the mid 19th century but is it is fair to say their international fame was built on making brilliant art nouveau jewellery, inspired by Lalique’s work at the 1900 Paris Exposition.

To this day, Masriera, as it is now known, continues to thrive and remains renowned for their superb enamels and art nouveau style jewellery.  See this link to the firm’s website for more on their history.  The box itself carries the maker’s mark for Talleres Mircar, a leading silversmith of the period who were collaborators with Masriera at this time.

This heavy silver gilt box borrows more from English  1960/70’s “bark effect” silver than the art nouveau but the enamel set into the lid is in the arts and crafts British Limoges style and is simply incredible quality, depicting a bird amongst blossom.  I believe it is a type of small Finch called a Linnet.  Altogether this is a jewel of a piece.  The box is lined with cedar wood and no doubt was originally for cigarettes.  I am very happy to have it lined for jewellery or other trinkets if requested.

The silver is marked with the Spanish assay mark of a star for 0.915 silver quality, TM monogram for  Talleres Mircar and also stuck to the base is the original retail sticker.  The archive department of Masriera has confirmed this information.

Maker: Talleres Mircar / Masriera y Carreras

Designer: Unknown

Date: c. 1970-1980 (must be pre-1986)

Marks: TM, star

Material: 0.915 silver gilt, enamel

Condition: Excellent

Size: 10.0 cm long x 7.0 cm wide x 3.5cm high

Weight : 219 grams, 7.7 oz