One of the pieces shown at their 1923 show was available here: a low, square, multi-drawered cabinet, pictured above, produced jointly by Goulden and Dunand, covered with black and silver lacquer encrusted with eggshell. This one-off had remained in Goulden’s family ever since, helping it to a massive €400,000 (£258,000).
A large, cubist-style jewel box by Goulden (1932), below right, adorned with coloured plaques of champlévé enamel, almost
doubled hopes on €115,000 (£74,200); and his flat, rectangular, gilded copper box (1929), above right, made €29,000 (£18,700). Both works, again, were consigned by Goulden’s descendants.
Return of the Goulden boy
Jean Goulden (1878-1947) was another name restored to pre-eminence at the Tajan sale on 28 May. Goulden belonged to the Groupe Dunand–Goulden–Jouve–Schmied and himself underwrote the exhibitions the group staged annually at the Galerie Georges-Petit in Paris from 1921 to 1933.
