“A part of the History of France” The queen’s chest is put up for sale

A travel chest that belonged to Queen Marie Leczinska, Queen of France and Navarre before the Revolution, is sold in Brive. The auction of the royal object, estimated between €3,000 and €4,000, takes place this Thursday, December 5.

Among 651 lots, 18th century silverware, vases by Gallé, a tapestry by Jean Lurçat, furniture by Pierre Chapo and… a medium-sized chest which could interest art lovers, collectors and dealers.

They come to seek a part of the History of France.

Thomas Martinie, auctioneer in Brive

Coming from an estate, this travel chest stayed in a castle in Burgundy, then in a residence in Sarlat before landing at the Maison Martinie auction in Brive. On this royal chest, we can see the queen's coat of arms on the lid. Marie Leczinska's initials also appear on the corners of this wooden object covered in red morocco, inside in blue silk.

“There is a box already present and preserved at the Louvre museum, specifies Brive auctioneer Thomas Martinie. We have already had other similar objects which have gone on sale, notably from one of my Parisian colleagues for a box a little larger than this one and in better condition, which bore a manufacturer's stamp and which had been sold at Paris over 15 000 € at the time.”

A royal chest, sold this Thursday, December 5 afternoon, considered a relatively rare piece.

“Rare, but it happens regularly, completes Thomas Martinie. We had already discovered a scholarship a few years ago. And then you know, here, we also had the wife of the last emperor of Vietnam, we regularly had part of her Sèvres porcelain service on sale.”

Marie Leczinska, of Polish origin, was the wife of Louis XV. Her reign lasted from 1725 to 1768. Nicknamed “ The Good Queen “, she was renowned for distributing alms to the people. She died in 1768, at the age of 65, at the Palace of Versailles.