Palais Royal Mother of Pearl & Ormolu Novelty Goat & Cart Table Salt Antique French Grand Tour circa 1880

A pretty antique French Palais Royal novelty ormolu goat and cart shaped table salt with a mother of pearl bowl. The goat, which is press moulded in two halves, is modelled in a walking stance. He is attached to the curved cart shafts by a chest harness. The cart has a floral decorated frame which holds the shell bowl in place. The frame is soldered to an ornately curved shaped axle on which two pressed cart wheels are mounted. 

This item is typical of those retailed in the shopping arcades under the colonnades of the Palais Royal in Paris in France. It is possibly a small memento of the Grand Tour. The antique novelty open table salt dates to the latter half of the 19th century circa 1880.

The table salt is approximately 2 7/16 inches (8.7 cm) long, 1 3/8 inches (3.5 cm) high and  1 3/16 inches (3 cm) wide. It weighs 18 grammes unpacked.

The table salt is in good usable antique condition. The shell has a few small nibbles to the rim. The gilding is quite worn on the pressed brass. Although we think that this was made as a table salt, we have seen them described as thimble holders.It could also be used for trinkets or simply as a novelty ornament.

This is a very decorative antique Grand Tour memento from the Palais Royal and is suitable both for display and use and would be a great gift for a caprine aficionado or goat keeper.