📋 Item Specifics
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Type | Covered Box / Trinket Box |
| Brand / Maker | Loys Paris (Maison Loys Lucha) |
| Production Technique | Hand-Hammered Metal / Dinanderie |
| Style | French Art Deco / Arts & Crafts |
| Country/Region of Origin | France |
| Era / Age | Circa 1920–1930s (Art Deco Period) |
| Material | Patinated Art Metal (Brass/Bronze/Pewter Blend) |
| Subject / Form | Organic Melon / Gourd / Pumpkin Vegetable Form |
| Features | Stamped Maker's Hallmark, Intricate Foliage Chasing, Gilt Interior |
| Item Height | 5.5" (5-1/2 inches) |
| Widest Diameter | 7" (7 inches) |
📝 Detailed Description
Studio: Maison Loys Paris (Loys Lucha atelier)
Origin: Paris, France
Period: Art Deco (c. 1920s / 1930s)
Medium: Patinated Hand-Hammered Metal (Dinanderie art metalwork)
Overview & Artisan Heritage
Up for purchase is a rare and highly collectible masterwork of French metalcraft: an authentic Art Deco hand-hammered covered box created by Loys Paris. Founded by Louis Joseph Chaffard-Luco (known professionally as Loys Lucha), the celebrated Maison Loys studio was highly esteemed in Paris for producing exquisite, high-end Dinanderie—the specialized traditional French art of hand-beating and chemically patinating brass, bronze, and copper alloy metals.
This particular multi-lobed box is masterfully fashioned into a sculptural, organic gourd or melon form. The exterior lid features stylized, dark-etched stylized leaves or branch accents cascading down the naturalistic ridges to a textured stem handle. The interior opens to reveal a magnificent, luminous original gold-washed/gilt finish.
Signatures & Stamped Hallmarks
The underside of the lid features explicit, deep period validation markings confirming its prestigious workshop lineage:
FRANCE – Regional export stamping.PARIS – Production origin.LOYS – Script signature logo belonging to the studio.
Dimensions
- Total Height: 5 1/2" tall
- Max Width/Diameter: 7" at widest cross-section [1]
Condition Report
- Overall State: Excellent antique condition given its century-old age.
- Details: The box retains a strong structure with clean lid fitment. The exterior surface exhibits a gorgeous, deeply layered multi-toned olive/brown aged patina with minor superficial handling marks and expected wear to the high-relief spots on the metal. No severe crushing, structural cracks, or deep damage. Ready for immediate display!
💎 Rarity & Market Context
- Rarity Rating: Scarce / Highly Desirable French Art Metalwork
- Market Standing: Original French Dinanderie metalware from the 1920s studio era is intensely collected globally. While Maison Loys is widely famous for their geometric boxes, trays, and enameled plates, these sculptural, biological gourd-form boxes are significantly scarcer on the open antiquities market.
- Investment Value: This piece is a premier crossover artifact that heavily appeals to Art Deco purists, Arts & Crafts movement collectors, and upscale interior decorators seeking high-pedigree European accents.
Keep in mind the shipping price also covers handling fees, packaging materials & time, not just postage.
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