Original label in its inner part \u201cJean-Alain Bidegand \u2013 9, rue de la Tour Paris\u201c<\/p>\n
As the original label reads, this beautiful case is a \u201ccoffre n\u00e9cessaire.\u201d<\/p>\n
But, necessary for what? Actually this is a travel case that the nobility and wealthy families would take with them when they travelled.<\/p>\n
From very famous travellers like Goethe or Stendhal, we know that in the past travelling was totally different from what it is nowadays.<\/p>\n
First of all it meant spending entire days in a carriage, bumpy rides, at the mercy of bad weather and of outlaws.<\/p>\n
Therefore it was not something one would embark on light-heartedly.<\/p>\n
All the slightest details had to be carefully worked out, including personal care. We know that wealthy people were used to having a host of valets, chambermaids and servants to take care of them.<\/p>\n
How did they manage when they travelled? Well, they would take everything (or almost everything) with them: the \u201cnecessary\u201d, in cases like the one we are displaying here.<\/p>\n
We do however need to specify what the nobility considered to be \u2018necessary\u2019.<\/p>\n
Of course, noblesse oblige\u2026 toiletries, make-up and, of course, jewellery.<\/p>\n
And, as in our case, anything needed to write a letter. Business? Diplomacy? Or rather steamy love letters<\/p>\n
This traveller\u2019s n\u00e9cessaire is truly an excellent example of elegance and of the superfluous that becomes necessary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rare antique French black lacquered wood box with beautiful guilted brass inlays and\u00a0S\u00e9vres porcelain plaque cartouche depicting a \u2018putto\u2019.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":83956,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[6405,6491],"product_tag":[1623,5333,5418,5968],"class_list":{"0":"post-83294","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-antique-work-of-art-en","7":"product_cat-works-of-art","8":"product_tag-black-en","9":"product_tag-collectors-items","10":"product_tag-desk-accessories","11":"product_tag-wedding-gift","12":"product_shipping_class-dhl-en","14":"first","15":"outofstock","16":"shipping-taxable","17":"product-type-simple"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n