THREE COPPER-MOUNTED ENGLISH ENAMEL RECTANGULAR SNUFF BOXES

CIRCA 1780, POSSIBLY BILSTON

Details

THREE COPPER-MOUNTED ENGLISH ENAMEL RECTANGULAR SNUFF BOXES
CIRCA 1780, POSSIBLY BILSTON
ONE PRINTED AND PAINTED WITH FIGURES WALKING THROUGH ITALIANATE RUINS RESERVED WITHIN WHITE FOLIATE CARTOUCHES ON THE SKY BLUE GROUND SIMILARLY ENAMELED WITH DIAPER-PATTERN, THE WAISTED SIDES AND BOTTOM WITH QUATREFOIL CARTOUCHES OF FLOWERS,23/8IN. (6CM.) WIDE; THE SECOND PRINTED AND PAINTED WITH RUINS BY A RIVER RESERVED WITHIN A WHITE SCALLOPED CARTOUCHE ON THE COBALT BLUE GROUND FUTHER ENAMELLED WITH TRAILING FLOWERS, THE FLUTED SIDES PAINTED WITH BLOSSOMS, THE EDGES OF THE FLUTES WITH WHITE DOTS, 25/8IN. (6.3CM.) WIDE; THE THIRD AS A PATCHWORK OF ANGLED SHAPED SQUARE CARTOUCHES ALTERNATELY PAINTED WITH A FLOWER SPRAY, FAUX LEOPARD FUR OR A STYLIZED RUIN RESERVED ON A BLUE 'LINEN' GROUND, 2¾IN. (6CM.) WIDE (3)

Provenance

THE ROUS LENCH COLLECTION: VOLUME TWO, FURNITURE AND WORKS OF ART; SOTHEBY'S, LONDON, 3/4 JULY 1986, LOT 852 (THE PATCHWORK BOX)

Lot Essay

SEE ROBERT CHARLESTON, 'A DOCUMENT OF THE LATER BILSTON ENAMEL INDUSTRY', E.C.C. TRANSACTIONS, VOL. 12, PART 2, 1985 FOR A DISCUSSION OF A PATTERN BOOK PRESUMED TO HAVE BEEN INTENDED AS A DESIGN SOURCE FOR JAPANNERS AND ENAMELLERS AND NOW IN THE LIBRARY OF THE HENRY FRANCIS DU PONT MUSEUM AT WINTERTHUR. THE DATES OF THE DESIGNS COVER A BROAD SPAN, BUT MANY ARE SIMILAR IN SPIRIT TO THE SKETCHY COTTAGES AND PATCHWORK PATTERNS FOUND ON THE PRESENT PATCHWORK BOX, PARTICULARLY PL. 78B, PATTERN 128.

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