face à main en or, émail, et camée en cornaline par Frédéric Philippi, Paris, vers 1860

ornée d'un camée en cornaline taillé en haut relief de la tête de Mercure dans un cadre de diamants taillés en rose, sur un fond repercé et délicatement ciselée de rinceaux feuillagés embellis d'émail blanc et noir, anneau de suspension, poinçon de maître et garantie

the case inset with a translucent agate cameo carved in high relief with the head of Mercury framed by rose diamonds, the openwork ground delicately chased with leafy scrolls embellished with black and white enamel ornament, snap fastening on beaded pendent loop, maker's mark and post 1838 warranty

very fine and delicate work, in generally excellent order apart from two very small chips to enamel almost imperceptible to the naked eye on the border of the reverse. Photos available if necessary.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Frédéric Philippi (1814-1892), originaire de Hanovre, s'installa à Paris en 1836, après un apprentissage à Hambourg puis dans les centres artistiques principaux d'Allemagne et Autriche. Il s'associa tout d'abord avec le fabricant de bijoux Caillot, puis se fit un nom et ouvrit son propre atelier en créant tout d'abord essentiellement des montures de bagues en verre bleu orné de fleurs faites de diamants taillés en rose. Composé d'une douzaine d'ouvriers, d'un monteur de pierres, d'un graveur et de quatre apprentis, son studio devint particulièrement réputé pour ses realisations notamment pour des bijoux Historismus émaillés dans le style de la Renaissance allemande. Il était également réputé pour des tabatières en émail de style Louis XVI. Après le décès de son fils durant la guerre Franco-Prusse, il perdit toute joie de vivre et l'atelier fut repris par ses anciens employeurs en 1876. Au plus haut de sa carrière, Philippi réalisa des pièces tout à fait admirables, comme ce face à main, qui fait écho à un bracelet de la maison Fannière Frères, conservé au Musée des Arts Décoratifs. Ce bracelet se compose d'un travail repercé en or bordé d'émail blanc et noir tout à fait similaire et orné également d'un camée en cornaline représentant la tête de Mercure bordé de diamants. 

Frédéric Philippi (1814-1892) moved to Paris from his native Hanover in 1836, following extensive training in Hamburg followed by study in all the main artistic centres of Germany and Austria. At first associated with the jewellery firm of Caillot, he soon made a name for himself in Paris and set up his own workshop concentrating at first on then popular rings set with blue glass and applied with rose diamond flower sprays. Once established with a dozen workmen, a stone setter, an engraver and four apprentices, his studio became known as a place for individual special orders particularly for artistic Historismus enameled jewellery in the German renaissance taste. Surprisingly he was also known for elegantly enamelled snuff boxes in Louis XVI taste. Following the sad irony of his eldest son’s death in the Franco-Prussian war, he lost heart and the firm was finally taken over in 1876 by his old employers. At his peak in the mid-century Philippi produced exquisite work such as this face à main which is closely related to a bracelet, now in the musée des Arts Décoratifs, by Fannière Frères. The bracelet is composed of very similar gold scrollwork enclosed by black and white enamel and centred with a similar diamond-framed carnelian cameo of a Mercury head.