French Olive Wood Souvenir Box from Epinal with Hand-painted Bird Japanese sake bottle I love the geometric black

I love the geometric black patterning against the shiny gold

There is a terrific directness but also specificity of the print

purchased from the estate of a gallerist and collection who had accumulated many very fine textiles from around the world

in great condition with a nice warm patina

French Olive Wood Souvenir Box from Epinal with Hand-painted Bird Japanese sake bottle I love the geometric blackI've found a few other old French hand painted souvenir boxes, but none anywhere close to as lovely as this one, made of beautiful olive wood, and with this charming bird on wispy branch painted on the lid, a red headed swallow I think? In the corner, in perfect cursive, is painted Epinal, a city in Northeastern France. The proportions of the box are terrific too, with these great rounded corners, plus a key hole on the front though there is no longer