FROMENT-MEURICE. Important pair of silver (950 milliטmes) mounted א aiguiטres crystal wine carafes ciselי in the nיo-Renaissance style, the baluster crystal body engravedי with foliage and flower scrolls, encircledי by an openwork silver frieze and ciselי scrolls, ornיed in the centre with a cartouche bearing the monogram entrelacי AHS on one cפtי, and a fךminine tיte on the other, resting on a piיdouche א circular silver godronnי and foliageי base, the scrolled foliageי handle, the spout adornedי with a tךte of satyr in mascaron, the crystal and silver stoppers. Good gיnיral condition, one crystal stopper accidentי, a small lack to the foliage of the fיminine mascaron. Marked FROMENT-MEURICE on the base. Paris, second half of the 19th century, circa 1865-1880. In their original יcrin א the wood and brass form monogrammי AHS, gainי of velvet and ochre silk א the intיrieur, stampedי of the Maison Froment-Meurice, 372 rue Saint-Honorי א Paris. Provenance : According to family tradition and a handwritten note dated 29 October 1975, reinforced by the presence of the monogram AHS, this would have been a prיsent from Emperor Alexander II of Russia, א one of his favourite artists, the singer Hortense Schneider (1833-1920). It is known that the Tsar went to see Offenbach's protיgיe in the opיra bouffe "La Grande-Duchesse de Gיrolstein" at the Thיגtre des Variיtיs dטs his arrival יe א Paris on 1 June 1867, and that they subsequently suppטered together. The Tsar subsequently invited the opera artist to Russia several times א from 1871 onwards. Attached is the small handwritten document that י was contained in the box (see photo). Height : 36 cm. Total gross weight: 1984 grams. Expert : Maxime Charron. Paris.