Gold, mother-of-pearl, and gem-set snuffbox decorated with floral ornamentation
Gold, mother-of-pearl, and gem-set snuffbox decorated with floral ornamentation
Germany
Circa 1730
Gold, silver, mother-of-pearl, shell, precious stones, diamonds; chasing, matting, inlay
Marks: early 19th-century Vienna mark in the form of a letter 'A'; Vienna control mark for foreign goods used between 1891 and 1901 (a capital letter 'P' within a canted rectangle); French owl import mark for gold items after 1893, struck twice
Elongated hexagonal-shaped gold snuffbox with a semi-circular front wall and molded rims, fitted with a hinged lid with volute-shaped thumbpiece. The outer side of the base is decorated along its perimeter with a chased raised border of intertwined leaves, fruits, and flowers, as well as shaped reserves of C-scrolls filled with a finely grained trellis pattern. The edge of the lid's top is inlaid with natural mother-of-pearl panels engraved with a trellis pattern. The central section of the lid is adorned with applied shell plaques serving as a backdrop for a magnificent applied bouquet: the stems and leaves of the flowers are crafted from gold, while the buds are set with faceted colored precious stones and diamonds.
1800PC390/ДПИ