Superb master's lock in chased iron and its key... Lot 56 B

Superb master's lock in chased iron and its key with chimeras and dolphins from the beginning of the 17th century (trunk lock). The palate decorated with an important head of lion superbly chiseled in high relief. It is surrounded in the manner of a mane by a continuous garland of leafy foliage, chiseled, themselves in slight relief. On the reverse side, a finely engraved openwork crowning of standing figures, interlacing foliage and scrolls. This crown surmounts a frieze of scrolls centered on a mask, set between two molded cornices. The rest of the funcet was entirely engraved: in spite of the wear one can still guess on both sides of the welcoming the inscription JESUS MARIA written in reverse flanked by winged characters. The parts of the mechanism in strong iron sheet are very finely openworked and engraved with foliage, volutes and fantastic animals. The three roosters, with different decorations, are for two of them richly chiseled in the round with dolphins engraved with foliage and scales and finished with three coiled tails and joined with links. For the third rooster, in the centre, the dolphins are replaced by chimeras coiled in their multiple tails from which emerge fleurdelysé ornaments. The legs of the roosters are themselves entirely chiselled. The barrel is pierced with a large stylized fleur-de-lis. The sides of the lock are made of very strong sheet metal and are fixed by a very curious system of interlocking and hinges whose axes, screwed, maintain the whole. Finally, the small side of the lock, opposite the faceplate, is also entirely pierced with scrolls and interlacing once engraved. The key presents an important ring magnificently chiseled in the round with two winged chimeras, leaning against each other, whose leafy bodies, with strong teats, end in hind legs enclosing a grotesque mask. Above the horned heads of the chimeras, two dolphins chiseled with scales, rolled up and intertwined, support a small molded vase. Strong boss entirely chiselled with a Corinthian capital with triple evolution. Pannet with protruding muzzles, rakes and repercussion wheels. Short thick stem with fleur-de-lys section and similarly drilled. Magnificent example of a masterpiece of French locksmithing that can be dated to the beginning of the 17th century. Slight wear to the engraving of the funcet. These pieces were in the prestigious Spitzer collection and were dispersed at the time of the sale in 1893 under the number 890 for the lock and 916 for the key. A piece of similar spirit (in particular for the lion's head of the barrel holder and the dolphins of the key) is preserved in the Biret collection (Calvet museum, Avignon). See the reproduction Pl 9 in Girard, documents de ferronnerie ancienne. F Contet. Paris. 1926.