ENSEMBLE DE TROIS SALIÈRES EN ARGENT D’ÉPOQUE... Lot 18

ENSEMBLE DE TROIS SALIÈRES EN ARGENT D’ÉPOQUE LOUIS XVI À RARE DÉCOR FIGURANT LES ARCADES DU PALAIS-ROYAL Three saltcellars of oval form resting on four feet, with their lining out of blue glass, out of silver (800 thousandths) engraved representing the famous arcades of the Palais-Royal in Paris, with the grids crowned of the three flowers of lily. Some accidents and missing parts. 18th century, hallmark of Paris, 1780-1789. L. 7,8 cm (each). Total weight : 128,2 g. History These salerons are a rare testimony of the type of souvenir purchases that were sold in the shops installed in the galleries of the brand new Palais Royal, wanted by Louis-Philippe-Joseph d'Orléans (1747-1793), Duke of Orléans and future Philippe-Egalité, promoter of the project under the aegis of the architect Victor Louis, who will finish them in 1780. They also bear witness to the success of these stores, the forerunners of the shopping malls, where for half a century Parisians, provincials and people from other countries, English, Americans, etc., flocked. With the presence of cafés, restaurants, gambling salons and other entertainments, these galleries became the fashionable meeting place for an elegant and often libertine society. The closing of the gambling houses put an end to it in 1836.