A 'Rougier 5' ceramic biplane trinket box, circa 1909,

The Golden Age of Motoring Sale|31 October 2025, 12:00 GMT|London, New Bond Street

A 'Rougier 5' ceramic biplane trinket box, circa 1909,

hand-decorated depiction of Henri Rougier's Voisin biplane, top wing lifts as lid, 18cm wide, (tail cracked with old repair).

Footnotes

Henri Louis Rougier, (28 October 1876 – July 1956) was a French sportsman, racing cyclist, pioneer aviator and sporting motorist. He is best remembered for his victory in the inaugural Monte Carlo Rally when he drove his Turcat-Méry from Paris to Monte Carlo, but he was also a regular competitor in both 'City to City' and Grand Prix races. In 1909, Rougier learned to fly in a Voisin powered by a Gnome Omega engine. In September 1909 he won the prizes for distance and altitude at the Grand Prix of Berlin, the first aviation tournament held in Germany. On 18 November 1909 he was awarded Aviator's Certificate number 11 by the Aéro-Club de France. Throughout 1909 and 1910 he was a very successful competitor at Air shows and Grands Prix throughout Europe.

Rougier was able to afford to drive and fly the best machinery available owing to his success as an entrepreneur, owning the Paris agency for Turcat-Méry motor cars, and using his motor racing and rallying prowess to garner publicity. After World War I he manufactured a limited number of Rougier motor cars, based on Turcat-Méry chassis but with mechanical design improvements and exclusive coach-built bodies.

For his exploits and daring Rougier was appointed Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, plus being awarded the Croix de Guerre and the 'Medal of Aeronautics'.

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