119 - “Près du Cœur,” a moving presentation.

“Près du Cœur,” a moving presentation. PIERRE DUNE, Paris - “Près du Cœur” A rare and moving presentation, where the fragrance becomes a memory of a loved one. The box takes the form of a wooden photo frame with molded edges, hammered gold and reddish-brown lacquer, accented with black trim. At the bottom, it features a silver plated metal plaque engraved with “Près du Cœur - Pierre Dune - Paris.” The bottle sits in the center of the frame, like a portrait. 14 × 14 × 6 cm. The bottle, made of clear glass in a flat rectangular shape, is molded on both sides with a border of scrolls and interlacing patterns surrounding a central cartouche. This cartouche was designed to hold a photograph: the portrait thus appears at the heart of the bottle, as if framed in a painting. The other side bears the gold-lettered inscription “Près du Cœur de Pierre Dune - Paris,” and the base is embossed with “Pierre Dune.” It is closed with a half-moon-shaped gilded metal stopper and sealed with its original sealing cord. It contains its original fragrance. H.: 8 cm - W.: 6.5 cm. The portrait, the perfume, and the sentiment all united in a single object: this bottle allowed one to keep close to one’s heart the image and memory of a loved one, often far away or gone. The name of the perfume, “Près du Cœur,” speaks to its very purpose. Included is a photograph of a soldier in uniform, with the number “85” on his collar, presented alongside the bottle. circa 1945