Napoleon III Rococo Revival Tissue Box - Dark Lacquer & Gilt Bronze Mounts
Napoleon III Rococo Revival Tissue Box - Dark Lacquer & Gilt Bronze Mounts
Design & Inspiration
Place this tissue box on a console, a side table, or a desk and the room shifts — what was functional becomes ceremonial. Inspired by the opulent decorative vocabulary of Napoleon III's Second Empire (1852–1870), this handcrafted tissue box treats an everyday object with the same seriousness that Parisian cabinetmakers once reserved for jewel caskets and presentation boxes. The dark lacquered body, glossy and deep as polished ebony, serves as a deliberate foil for the cascading gilt brass mounts that frame every edge and surface.
Materials & Craftsmanship
The body is constructed from solid wood finished in a rich dark lacquer — a technique that echoes the Napoleon III fondness for ebonized surfaces — and set into an architectural framework of cast and chased brass mounts finished in warm gold. The centrepiece of the lid is an oval cartouche mount framed by a continuous wreath of cast acanthus leaves and scrollwork, a motif drawn directly from Second Empire decorative bronzes. The side panels carry bold ribbon-and-torch mounts — a reference to classical trophy ornament revived with characteristic Napoleon III exuberance. Four scrolled rocaille feet elevate the piece from the surface, completing the casket-like silhouette. The brass work throughout bears the hallmarks of hand-finishing: slight variation in the chasing that no machine replication could produce.
Dimensions & Details
Weight: 4 kg. Dimensions: N/A. Available in multiple brass finish variants. Crafted in Egypt.
Handcrafted in Egypt
Every piece leaving the Brass & Wood workshop is hand-assembled by craftsmen trained in both European classical forms and traditional Egyptian metal-working. The brass mounts are individually cast, hand-chased, and applied to the lacquered body — a process that takes considerably longer than factory production but produces a result that improves with time. Egypt's long tradition of decorative metalwork makes it a natural home for this kind of painstaking classical reproduction work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What materials is this tissue box made from?
The body is solid wood finished in dark lacquer. The decorative mounts, cartouche, handles, and feet are cast brass, hand-finished in the selected metal colour variant.
Is assembly required?
No. The tissue box arrives fully assembled and ready to place.
Can this be customized?
Yes. Brass finish variants are available (Gold, Silver, Antique Gold). For further customization enquiries, please contact the Brass & Wood team directly.
