Ernest Guilhou was born in Carcassonne, France, in 1844. His father, Numa Guilhou, was one of the most prominent entrepreneurs in Spain during the Industrial Revolution. Numa owned the Mieres Foundry (Asturias), which Ernest inherited upon his father’s passing (Mañana Vázquez, 2006). Throughout his life, Ernest amassed numerous pieces of decorative art: watches, snuff boxes, enamels, and rings populated his personal collection. Beyond his role as a collector, Guilhou was also engaged in the trade of artistic pieces and operated his shop in Paris, although his residence was located in Bayonne.