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Lot Essay
This marriage box gives a fascinating insight into 18th century social life. The bride is presented with a box depicting the portraits of her own family mingled with those of her future family-in-law. An old accompanying document, written by the son of the couple, gives a date of 1773 (thus confirming the date of the marks on the box) and identifies the sitters of the miniatures as the future husband, Monsieur de Sanlot (on the lid), Monsieur de Savalète, uncle and tutor of the bride (on the base), and, on the sides (from the front, anti-clockwise): Madame de St Victour née Sanlot, sister of the groom, Mr Sanlot de Fontenailles, brother of the groom, Mr Sanlot de Bapaume, another brother of the groom, the Marquise de Gléon née de Savalète, sister of the bride, Mr Sanlot de Bospin, another brother of the groom, and Monsieur de St Victour, husband of the sister of the groom.
The discrepancy of the earlier dates with matching sous-fermier marks on the circular gold panels lining the cover and the base can be explained by the rather common re-use of gold of previous periods, in the present case already marked by the same goldsmith.
The discrepancy of the earlier dates with matching sous-fermier marks on the circular gold panels lining the cover and the base can be explained by the rather common re-use of gold of previous periods, in the present case already marked by the same goldsmith.