Lot Essay
A snuff-box with extremely similar decoration of birds and insects is in the Victoria & Albert Museum, inv. 179-1878.
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BY HOFFMANN, DRESDEN OR BERLIN, CIRCA 1750/1760
Details
A RARE GERMAN ROCOCO GOLD-MOUNTED HARDSTONE NCESSAIRE
by Hoffmann, Dresden or Berlin, circa 1750/1760
Slightly tapering rectangular semi-translucent quartz tui of octagonal section, the front and rear sides of the base encrusted with posies of flowers bound with knotted ribbons carved in semi-precious stones including chrysopraze, agate and carnelian, the front and rear sides of the cover encrusted with birds in the same technique, the left hand and right hand side walls similarly decorated with insects, the top of the cover inlaid with flowers, the gold mounts engraved with scrolls and flowers on a wickerwork ground, jewelled pushpiece, the interior fitted with two-leaved tablets, steel tweezers with incorporated nail file, a gold ear-spoon, a gold folding ruler, steel scissors with folding gold handles, a steel compass with gold handle, a gold plume, two octagonal tapering gold handles with detachable caps to fit one into the other, with four steel instruments to screw on: two knife blades, a fork and a bodkin
36 in. (87 mm.) high
by Hoffmann, Dresden or Berlin, circa 1750/1760
Slightly tapering rectangular semi-translucent quartz tui of octagonal section, the front and rear sides of the base encrusted with posies of flowers bound with knotted ribbons carved in semi-precious stones including chrysopraze, agate and carnelian, the front and rear sides of the cover encrusted with birds in the same technique, the left hand and right hand side walls similarly decorated with insects, the top of the cover inlaid with flowers, the gold mounts engraved with scrolls and flowers on a wickerwork ground, jewelled pushpiece, the interior fitted with two-leaved tablets, steel tweezers with incorporated nail file, a gold ear-spoon, a gold folding ruler, steel scissors with folding gold handles, a steel compass with gold handle, a gold plume, two octagonal tapering gold handles with detachable caps to fit one into the other, with four steel instruments to screw on: two knife blades, a fork and a bodkin
36 in. (87 mm.) high
Provenance
Baron Maximilien de Goldschmidt-Rothschild and the Baronne de Becker; Sotheby Parke Bernet, Monaco, 29 November 1975, lot 153 (9,000 FF).