VINTAGE FROMENT-MEURICE JEWELRY ENSEMBLE 33 Roman Greek Coins

The Froment-Meurice Jewellery Ensemble

In stock

SKU: FMJEWELRY

$235,000.00

Description / VINTAGE FROMENT-MEURICE JEWELRY ENSEMBLE 33 Roman Greek Coins

The Froment-Meurice Jewellery Ensemble

Designed by a 19th-Century French Master

Comprising 33 Authentic Ancient Greek and Roman Gold Coins

A unique example of intricate gold jewellery, this ensemble is crafted by the renowned 19th-century French goldsmith-jeweller dynasty, the Froment-Meurice family. The family’s legendary reputation was established by François-Desiré Froment-Meurice (1802–1855) and his son Emile (1837–1913). Under Napoleon III, France hosted a series of Expositions Internationales Universelles – the world’s fairs of 1855, 1867, 1878, 1889, and 1900 – which showcased French arts, sciences, and manufacture. Although François-Desiré died just before the 1855 exposition, the productions of the House of Froment-Meurice continued to be stellar attractions at all subsequent fairs.

Ensemble Description

Believed to have been a highlight of the firm’s spectacular display at the 1900 World Fair Exposition, this remarkable ensemble of hand-wrought gold jewellery is styled à l’antique. It is housed in an elongated, octagonal, brass-hinged, and velvet-lined fitted case with two hasps, and occupies two levels.

Upper Level

• Ornate All-Gold Necklace

• Composed of 24 barrel beads decorated with fine filigree, interspersed with 12 acorn-like droops and 11 ancient gold coins (3 Greek, 8 Roman) with ornate bezels.

• Approximately 43 cm long, with an aggregate weight of 210.02 g (6.752 troy ounces).

• Coins are held in place by rounded claws.

• Detachable Pinback Brooch

• Suspended from the necklace and can be worn as a separate item.

• Incorporates four Roman gold coins on a heavy openwork assembly measuring 63 mm × 64 mm, with an aggregate weight of 50.19 g (1.61 troy ounces).

Lower Level

• Single-Strand Necklace

• Composed of intricate twisted gold wire running through flat gold beads, featuring six hanging coins and four small droops.

• Suspended from this necklace are three Roman coins and five needle-ball tipped droops.

• Approximately 225 mm long, with an aggregate weight of 113.28 g (3.642 troy ounces).

• Roman Coin Earrings and Slave Bracelet

• Two sets of highly complex Roman coin earrings.

• A massive “slave bracelet” composed of openwork studded with five Roman gold coins separated by gold-wire cone-shaped ornaments.

• Inside dimensions (when closed): 55 mm × 50 mm

• Aggregate weight: 74.31 g (2.389 troy ounces)

• Hairpins

• Two gold coin hairpins designed for the high-piled “Gibson Girl” hairstyles.

• Each is composed of a sunburst design from which a single Roman coin in an ornate filigree bezel is suspended, featuring three large and two small droops.

• Attached to the backs are 111 mm steel “French pins” to secure them in the wearer’s hair.

• Length without pins: 42 mm

• Aggregate weights: 18.56 g and 18.36 g (0.596 and 0.5690 troy ounces)

• Earrings

• Two earrings of similar design, each with a 27 mm gold fixed pin attached to its back.

• Length: 42 mm

• Weights: 16.2 g and 16.14 g (0.520 and 0.510 troy ounces)

• Ornate Gold Juncture

• A single ornate gold juncture with a jump ring, likely used to join detachable parts of the ensemble in varying combinations.

• Measures 23 mm long with a loop 10 mm at its widest point, and has an aggregate weight of 4.19 g (0.134 troy ounces).

The Case

The case itself is a fascinating creation:

• Exterior:

• Covered with rich maroon velvet.

• The lid features the crown of a German prince (possibly a Prince of Prussia or another leading German state), composed of four pearled arches over an ermine headband.

• Below the crown are the serif-style letters “C. C.”

• Interior:

• The inner lid is satin-lined and bears the City Arms of Paris under a mural crown.

• Gold-stamped maker’s identification appears as follows:

• Left of the shield: “FROMENT MEURICE / [Arms] / ORFÈVRE / JOAILLIER / BIJOUTIER”

• Right of the shield: “DE LA / VILLE DE / PARIS”

• Below: “372 RUE ST. HONORÉ”

• The maker is identified as the Goldsmith, Jeweler of the City of Paris.

Total Gold Weight: Approximately 512 g (16.43 troy ounces)

Detailed Coin Composition

• Gold Necklace (11 coins):

• Alexander III, The Great (336–323 BC): 3 AV Staters