1811 Bassinet Crib The cradle of the King of Rome (later known as Napoleon II) 
Location - Imperial Treasury, Vienna, Austria
Creator - Pierre-Paul Prud'hon Henri Victor Roguier Jean-Baptiste-Claude Odiot Pierre Philippe Thomire 
Collection - Kunsthistorisches Museum
Inception - 1811 
 
Supplied in kit form and made from Resin/Pewter
 
17.5cm high (total)
15cm long (max)
5cm wide (max)
Cot height 7.2cm
Cot Depth 10cm
Angel height 7cm approx.
Floor to top of the dome 12cm
 
Easy to assemble
 
Supplied unaged - ready for tidying which will mean small nodules will need to be sanded or snapped off - this is super easy to do and takes just a minute or two.
 
The following information about the crib was copied from:
https://www.napoleon.org/en/history-of-the-two-empires/objects/the-roi-de-romes-cradle/
On 20 March, 1811, the Empress Marie-Louise gave birth to the heir to the imperial throne, the Roi de Rome, or King of Rome. Two weeks earlier, the Prefect of the Département de la Seine, Frochot, and the Conseil Municipal (Paris town council) had offered on behalf of the Ville de Paris (City of Paris) a cradle fit for the longed-for future emperor. A traditional present for this sort of event, the cradle of the Roi de Rome is remarkable for its extraordinary magnificence. Many artists worked on its creation. The painter Prud'hon made the plans, the bronze- and goldsmiths Thomire and Odiot founded and chased it in gilt silver, the sculptor Roguier modelled the figures. A work of almost unbelievable opulence, the cradle is one of the finest pieces of imperial furniture.
 
Standing on feet fashioned as crossed horns of plenty fronted by the genii of Strength and Justice, the boat of the cradle is decorated with mother-of-pearl balusters set on a background of nacarat velvet spotted with gilt bees. The decorative programme was dictated by symbolism of the empire. At the head of the cradle there is a shield bearing the Emperor's cypher, encircled by palms and laurels. Above, Winged Victor, soaring over the world, bears a double crown of stars and laurels, from which hang the drapes. At the other end, an Aiglon (or eaglet) appears to be about to take flight towards this allegory of triumph and immortality, in the centre of which blazes Napoleon's star. The glory of the father watches over the son, whilst at the same time calling him the same destiny. Two bas-reliefs on the sides of the cradle boat complete the sumptuous decoration, evoking the union of Paris and Rome, the two principal cities of the Empire, linked by the birth of the young king. On one side, Mercury lays the baby in the arms of a personification of the Seine river; on the other, the figure of the Tiber contemplates the new star which has just risen.
 
It was in this formal presentation cradle that the baby was laid, the day of his birth. Other, much more run-of-the-mill cradles provided for his everyday sleeping arrangements, one of these can be seen at the Musée du château de Fontainebleau. As for the cradle given by the Ville de Paris, it was taken to Austria in 1814 on the request of Marie Louise. So if you want to stand in awe before it, you have to go to Vienna. 
 
NOTES
Metal Items
As with all my metal designs the pieces will require a little cleaning using a file and/or sandpaper. The metal is very soft so this is a simple and satifying part of the build process. It is possible to bend some parts on some metal items. This is both a positive and negative. Very thin items can bend slightly when posted. I always suggest gently guiding the metal back to its original place if this should happen. BUT please note: Do not put the metal item in the oven as it will melt at low temperature - the same applies to using heatguns. 
 
I tend to use superglue (Hafixx being my favoured choice) with a super glue activator to speed things up. Superglue will semi cure within seconds and with an activator it will semi cure within a second or two. However please note the the glue will not be fully cured for another 24 hours.
 
To paint the item I strongly recommend a metal primer. Spray primers are the easiest to use and just a light coat with give the paint something to 'key' with......then the choice is yours. I use all types of paints from acrylics to cellulose spray paints. All have their own merits and so I choose according to the finish I wish to create.
 
After applying my coats of paint I will always add an aging layer of raw umber acrylic (water it down and then paint and wipe off to leave the dark paint in the recesses). Aging can be very rewarding and there are many options for this. One little recommendation is to use rotten stone/pumice stone powder to add what I like to describe as "dust" to the piece. It is a powder and will always be a powder unless mixed with a binder such as glue. The powder is a soft grey and if it is brushed on then off it will leave a slight dusting in the recesses of the design. 
A final flourish of splatter (very subtle brown/grey applied with by splattering the paint from a bristled brush such as a toothbrush) adds a little more interest. 
 
You can always create a more worn look by layering colours and removing layers to reveal what is underneath. A tip here is to add the extra colours where you will rub away and dont make the layers thick - there is no need to add layers into fine recesses unless that is where you want to reveal a colour. 
 
If you wish to give your painted surface extras "depth" and aged interest then using a soft brown wax (I like to use annie sloane Dark wax - it is easy to use and doesnt smell) as a final coat. You can choose to polish to a high sheen or just a soft polish for age. You can also mix waxes - I love to add liming wax (white wax) to brown wax if I want a softer look. You can always finish with a dusting of dust. 
 
Finally on painted items you can always finish with a flick of off white (you can do this on gilt too but you would need to use a brown such as raw or burnt umber). Take a brush and apply a small amount of paint then work most of the paint off so that you are left with a trace of paint on the brush. Brush this lightly over the item so that you catch the raised areas and the corners and edges of the items. How much you apply is up to you and you can have so much fun experimenting to see what looks best for your chosen design. 
 
If your painting goes wrong you can remove it by dipping the item into acetone for a few minutes and scrubbing off the paint with a toothbrush. Note it will also dismantle your model as it will weaken the glue!!!