Making Luxury in Miniature | Gold Purse

By Dominique Antérion, in charge of collections of coins and medals at the Paris Mint Museum. A Little Masterpiece of Luxury at the Paris Mint Museum: A very rare Gold chainmail coin purse featuring ‘The Dream’ by Frédéric de Vernon (1858-1912), completed by goldsmith and jeweler Duval, Paris, 1903. The artist Frédéric de Vernon, First Grand Prix de Rome, was highly appreciated for raising domestic objects to works of art such as this coin purse. References and further reading: - Chic et utile : l’art du porte-monnaie. Chic and practical, the art of the purse. Variety of forms, materials and uses, the precious nature of these small treasure troves of daily life… an unprecedented exhibition on the history and art of the use from antiquity to the present day, Exhibition at The Paris Mint Museum (2019). - C’est dans la poche, l’histoire du porte-monnaie, Dir. Claudette Joannis, Ed. Faton, Paris (2019).