Graces a foot or more in height, down to egg-spoons, dainty thimbles, studs and brooches in infinite variety. But the objects on which most artistic feeling and invention are displayed, are highly wrought crucifixes; sides for books, chiefly missals, and the well-known “Imitation Jesu” pyxes of such pure and simple form, and of such “sculpture rare,” that the beholder instinctively guesses their holy use; chapelets or rosaries of large, smooth beads, or a perfect incrustation of carved roses; vases supported by Caryatides; exquisite salad-tongs, cups, boxes and interlacework trays for the toilet-table. It would occupy too much space to give more than a mere outline sketch of a remarkable Venetian looking-glass, in a carved ivory frame ordered by the Empress Eugénie in 1852, and which gave constant work to the artist during six years. It is almost painful to reflect how much labour this piece of luxury has cost. The wreath which encircles the mirror, wrought of sprays and bunches of rose, lily, tulip, hyacinth, harebell, and a host of other flowers, all diminutive, are rendered with an exactness that is more marvellous as a feat of execution and dexterity of manipulation, than an exhibition of lovely design. The pillars supporting the glass are formed of an ingenious twisting of ivory chain and rope work, all cut from the solid ivory, yet so flexible that the chain yields to the touch, as an ordinary one of metal would. Under the oval of the mirror, stands an ivory basket of minute flowers, and over it an ivory cobweb is thrown, on which are seen a spider and a fly, almost as delicately formed as in nature, their organisation seeming all but too solid for their frail support of ivory web. In short, without any striking effect of design, the whole work is a somewhat incongruous elaboration of tiny flowers, shells, corals, laurel-wreaths, Cupids, and imperial monograms, that speaks French taste to be to-day very much the same as in the days of Louis XIV., when this profusion of ornament prevailed. The carver, Carpentiére Beauregard, had 10,000 francs awarded him in payment of his six years’ work; but it is sad to think, that health and eyesight as well as labour were all given away for the obtainment of this sum!
The Duchess de Berri did much to develop the trade during her visits to Dieppe, and on her leaving, the town presented her with the usual gift to royal visitors, an ivory ship. Napoleon I., Louis Philippe, his Queen, the Dukes de Nemours and Joinville, and the present Emperor, have all in turn “graciously accepted” such a token of Dieppois handicraft from the townspeople. These ivory vessels, perfect and full rigged in slender threads of ivory, are undoubtedly emblematical of
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SPECIMENS OF IVORY CARVING FROM DIEPPE.
Nos. 1 and 2 are by Madame Veuve Farge-Herbert; Nos. 3, 4, and 5 by M. Hue; and Nos. 6 and 7 by Madame Binet.
