This is an exceptionally beautiful demi-lune (half-moon) shaped vitrine.  Vitrines were glass showcases or cabinets for displaying collections or precious possessions. They were common from the 17th through the 19th centuries and ranged in style from the simple to the ornate.

 

Vernis Martin is a French decorative finish that was popular during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It is a smooth, high gloss “vernis” (varnish) applied over a wood or a metal base. The French cabinetmaker Martin was known for producing high-quality furniture using this type of finish, which was really an imation lacquer. Vernis Martin was very popular during the Louis XVI period, as it is associated with the elegance and refinement of French neoclassical design.

 

The design style known as Louis XVI dates to the reign of King Louis XVI of France (1774-1792). The style appeared in architecture, furniture, decoration and art and rejected the elaborate ornate curves and frilly embellishments of the preceding Baroque period.  Louis XVI’s queen, Marie Antoinette, was instrumental in returning design focus to a style characterized by the elegance and of ancient Greek and Roman models, employing the use of ornate detail, precise shapes, light and refined color palettes, and symmetry.  The royal apartments in the palaces of Versailles, Fontainebleau, Tuileries, as well as other royal residences contain outstanding examples of these beautiful designs.   No expense was spared to create elegant, refined and expertly crafted wares produced by the master craftsmen of the period in this period just prior to the French Revolution.