Florence Meyer (Mrs. George) Blumenthal | People | Collection of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

We have 2 objects involving Florence Meyer (Mrs. George) Blumenthal

A vanity case in the form of a small sarcophagus combining Egyptian style imagery with a raised and curved bone lid, a flat bottom and an ornate encasement fabricated from enamel paint, gold, cabochon or smoothly polished stones and carved and polished emeralds and sapphires, faceted diamonds, platinum and onyx. The case could easily fit into the palm of one’s hand. A line drawing of a young person facing left dressed in a long sheath with triangular hands is carved in the bone lid. A jewelled image that resembles the Pharaoh Tutankhamun rests on the left side of the case wearing a striped headdress known as a neme. The neme is encrusted with cabochon sapphire stones that appear to be calibrated to fit in between thin gold lines. The royal insignia of the goddess Wadjet sits on the top of the King’s neme in the form of a cobra for protection embellished with faceted diamonds. The Pharaoh's face is carved from a large translucent emerald with blue sapphire irises embedded in his eyes. His chin wears a fake beard formed into an onyx cylinder. The Pharaoh's body is portrayed as a white leopard encrusted with faceted diamonds and onyx stones with oversized carved emerald paws showing strength. Yellow-orange enamel paints the negative space with blue, green and white papyrus flowers adorning the side edges. Above the Pharaoh’s head the trim is encrusted with three sets of rounded emeralds in between faceted diamonds while a row of diamonds borders the bottom edge. The front of the vanity case displays part of the bone lid bordered with rounded emeralds in between faceted diamonds and a centered diamond thumb clasp with an onyx fluted strip below. The same yellow-orange enamel decorates the front of the case’s body with several blue, green, and white papyrus flowers evenly spaced. Gold-beaded flower buds standing erect are placed in the alternating negative space of the papyrus flowers. The photograph shows the case on an angle displaying the top, front and left side view known as an isometric view with the left side closer to the viewer against a white ground showing a cast shadow.

Vanity Case, Egyptian Sarcophagus
bone, enamel, gold, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds, platinum, onyx.
Lent by Cartier Collection, Inv. VC 70 A25.
86.2016.2

There are 6 images of this object.

Bag (France)
glass beads, steel frame.
Gift of Mrs. George Blumenthal.
1908-3-5

This object is part of the Textiles collection.
There are 2 images of this object.