Alphonse Giroux et Duvinage - Large Japanese Marquetry and Cloisonné cup

A large gilt bronze and silvered bronze bowl supported by three herons forming the base. It is decorated with a central marquetry of ivory and precious woods (rosewood, rosewood) cloisonné in chased brass. The decoration depicts a pheasant chasing a grasshopper by a pond. The decoration is signed ‘FD Bté’ for Ferdinand Duvinage Breveté. And on the rim of the cup, ‘Maison Alphone Giroux Paris’.

In fact, this bowl is the fruit of a collaboration between the famous manufacturer of objets d'art and furniture Alphonse Giroux, and the marker Duvinage, specialising in finely worked marquetry in the Japanese style. It's worth remembering that this passion for Japanese art had unleashed fierce passions in France at the end of the 19th century.

The Duvinage firm specialised in this type of marquetry at the end of the 19th century. In 1877, the widow of Ferdinand Duvinage (1813-1874) obtained a patent for this type of decoration, which combined wood marquetry with brass cloisonné on an ivory background. The process was a huge commercial success, winning Duvinage numerous medals at the 1889 and 1900 Universal Exhibitions.


A dish with identical decoration can be found at the Musée des Art Décoratifs in Paris (Inv. 997.117.1) in the room dedicated to French Japanese ware from the late 19th century. Other works by Duvinage and Giroux are held at
Musée d'Orsay, the MET in New York and the Art Institute of Chicago.

The cup is in very good condition, with no defects other than some crazing of the ivory.

A CITES will be given to the buyer in case of purchase.