Antique Travel Vanity Box by Taulin Palais Royal Hallmarked Silver

Superb antique travel vanity box by Taulin of 131 Palais Royal. The box is mounted in brass with flush carrying handles either side (suggesting that it is a campaign box) an ornate chased brass key escutcheon and monogrammed cartouche to the lid. The interior of the box is fully fitted with various crystal bottles and pots the lids of which are solid silver and bearing the Minerva head silver standard mark, and some also with the mark of Eugene Regnard. Towards the back of the box there is a deep well lined with blue velvet containing three cologne bottles each retaining an internal glass stopper along withtwo large pots. There is a velvet lined lift out tray similarly fitted with various crystal pots and jars with solid silver lids and also a leather bound ink well with a push button flip top lid (working perfectly). Beneath the lift out tray is a large void with another lift out tray fitted with various bone handled implements to include a dip pen, thimble, button hook, two pairs of scissors and another. Three vacant spaces suggest tweezers, nail file and cuticle pusher? Are missing. The void beneath this tray is empty but the front section has the original blue leather needle case and beneath this leather lined section is a blue leather clad box with water silk lining. The box has a brass plaque clearly marked with the words “Taulin fut fur de J M L’Imperatrice 131 Palais Royal” (L’Imperatrice translates to “The Empress”) The lock is present and has the original key. The hinges are of a high quality and firmly attached. Ruched velvet inside lid may once have had a document folder behind it but is now permanently fixed.