A compact in a rectangular form with rounded corners throughout with a white, lightly iridescent mother-of-pearl panel set on the lid with a gold border. A smaller black centered panel with a dragon in the center is made from abalone shell with a cabochon ruby as the eye. Curvy and gold cloud-like lines emanate from the dragon with four sets of two small rose cut diamonds on the top side and bottom side edges bordered with a narrow gold border. A strand of small natural pearls surrounds the border of the lid sitting on a black enamel base secured with gold loops incrementally placed. A somewhat round coral carving sitting on a black enamelled Ruyi is centered by cabochon emeralds on the far sides of the lid. The front and sides of the compact are enamelled in black with gold abstract geometric designs centered by a coral thumbpiece with diamonds secured in the front. The case could easily fit into the palm of your hand.

See our image rights statement.

See more objects with the tag mother of pearl, pearls, compact, dragon.

Object Timeline

	We acquired this object.
1919	Work on this object began.
1929	Work on this object ended.
2017	We photographed this object. We exhibited this object.
2024	You found it!

Compact, Dragon, ca. 1924

This is a Compact. It is dated ca. 1924. Its medium is enamel, mother-of-pearl, natural pearls, shell, rose-cut diamonds, carved coral, cabochon emeralds, mirrored plate glass, gold.

This object was donated by Private Collection. It is credited Lent by Private Collection.

Button (France)

Button (France)
mother-of-pearl.
Gift of Helen S. Stone and Bromley S. Stone.
1937-35-41-a

Black Dragon Vase

Black Dragon Vase
porcelain.
Gift of Denis Gallion and Daniel Morris.
1994-118-1

Box
shell.
Bequest of Katherine Strong Welman.
1908-23-17-a,b

Our curators have highlighted 2 objects that are related to this one.

Box (France)
chased, engraved and enameled gold.
Gift from the Thomas W. Evans Collection from University of Pennsylvania....
1983-69-15

A rectangular shallow box inlaid with rainbow-colored iridescent shell on a black enamel background, depicting figures in a garden landscape. Centered in the foreground are three figures standing on a sloping shore, with stylized plants and a footbridge at bottom left. The figures - two women on the right speaking with a man on the left - wear long robes with their hands bundled in long sleeves. In the upper right background an old bearded man stands behind a rickshaw parked near a tree. In the upper left background is a rocky landscape at water’s edge, with cabochon diamonds sprinkled above the water at center. The larger pieces of shell are finely incised with details; the contours of the shore are filled with sparkling chips of shell. Bright gold borders mark the edges of the box. Fluted vertical straps of orange-red coral on the sides of the box connect to three fan-shaped coral mounts on the top surface. Two mounts are spaced on the far edge, at the top of the garden scene, with one mount centered on the near edge, at the bottom of the scene. The mounts are studded with bright green cabochon emeralds in gold fittings. The front side of the box has an inlaid shell scene depicting rocks and plants, accented with cabochon emeralds and bracketed at the corners with coral and pale green fluted nephrite. The box sits on a softly-reflective white surface.

Box, Lac Burgauté
gold, lac burgauté (panels), round diamonds, carved coral, black enamel,....
Lent by Private Collection.
13.2016.80

Its dimensions are

L x W x D: 5.9 × 4.3 × 1.4 cm (2 5/16 × 1 11/16 × 9/16 in.)

It has the following markings

French assay marks

It is signed

Cartier

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Jeweled Splendors of the Art Deco Era: The Prince and Princess Sadruddin Aga Khan Collection.

Short URL http://cprhw.tt/o/DayXi/
Accession Number 13.2016.79
Object ID 420577215