Large oval box, the cover, sides and base inset with four oval enamel plaques painted with tavern scenes after Teniers within engraved vari-colour gold ears of wheat, foliate branches, flowers and harvest trophies against a pink poudre d'écaille ground, gold lined, engraved on flange 'RICHARD RUE ST HONORE'
3⁵⁄₈ in. (92 mm.) wide

Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918),
Mozelle Sassoon (1872-1964),
with Frank Partridge, 26 King Street, London, 15 July 1943,
Albert Marber (1900-1960), then by descent.

R. and M. Norton, A History of Gold Snuff Boxes, London, 1938, Pl. 14.

Please note this lot is the property of a consumer. See H1 of the Conditions of Sale.

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Lot Essay

Marie-Antoinette's fondness for lacquer prompted a fashion for lacquer mounted furniture and objects as well as the use of mediA resembling lacquer such as Vernis Martin and poudre d'écaille, used for this snuff-box as a vibrant colour ground set with piqué-posé and enamel plaques. A very similar snuff-box in blue lacquer with identical vari-colour gold mounts framing pastoral scenes was sold by Sotheby's, Zurich, 6 May 1980, lot 62. The maker's mark was hesitantly identified as IP and was dated of the same period 1756-1752 suggesting that it was also the work of Mathieu Philippe.

The flange is engraved with 'Richard rue St Honoré' probably for a marchand-mercier not identified but working on the rue Saint-Honoré where the Parisian marchands-merciers congregated. Indeed after 1776 French goldsmith's work was permitted to be sold by non-members of the guild suggesting that this box was probably retailed by 'Richard' after that date.