Lot Essay
A group of snuff-boxes probably by the same hand is discussed in A. Somers Cocks/C. Truman, The Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection. Renaissance jewels, gold boxes and objects of vertu, London, 1984, pp. 254-257.
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BEARING MARKS RESEMBLING THE MAKER'S MARK OF NOËL HARDIVILLIERS (FL. 1729-1771), RESEMBLING THE PARIS DATE-LETTER 'D' FOR 1767/1768, RESEMBLING THE CHARGE AND DISCHARGE MARKS OF JEAN-BAPTISTE FOUACHE 1774-1780, LATER STRUCK WITH TWO PARISIAN POST-1838 RESTRICTED WARRANTY MARKS FOR GOLD, THE ENAMEL PLAQUE FRENCH, CIRCA 1780
Details
A LOUIS XVI-STYLE ENAMELLED GOLD SNUFF-BOX SET WITH AN ENAMEL PLAQUE
bearing marks resembling the maker's mark of Noël Hardivilliers (fl. 1729-1771), resembling the Paris date-letter 'D' for 1767/1768, resembling the charge and discharge marks of Jean-Baptiste Fouache 1774-1780, later struck with two Parisian post-1838 restricted warranty marks for gold, the enamel plaque French, circa 1780
Oval box, the cover, side and base panels with translucent steel-blue enamel on an engine-turned wavy moiré ground, within fluted gold and white enamel borders, the cover centred by an oval enamel plaque depicting Alexander the Great within a rose-cut diamond mount framed by a broad matted border enamelled with translucent green leaves, translucent red pellets and opalescent ovolos, the matted gold side pilasters similarly enamelled in translucent green and red, the outer matted gold borders enamelled with a wavy strand of white beads intertwined with translucent green enamelled garlands of leaves interspersed with translucent red enamelled berries
3 9/16 in. (90 mm.) wide
bearing marks resembling the maker's mark of Noël Hardivilliers (fl. 1729-1771), resembling the Paris date-letter 'D' for 1767/1768, resembling the charge and discharge marks of Jean-Baptiste Fouache 1774-1780, later struck with two Parisian post-1838 restricted warranty marks for gold, the enamel plaque French, circa 1780
Oval box, the cover, side and base panels with translucent steel-blue enamel on an engine-turned wavy moiré ground, within fluted gold and white enamel borders, the cover centred by an oval enamel plaque depicting Alexander the Great within a rose-cut diamond mount framed by a broad matted border enamelled with translucent green leaves, translucent red pellets and opalescent ovolos, the matted gold side pilasters similarly enamelled in translucent green and red, the outer matted gold borders enamelled with a wavy strand of white beads intertwined with translucent green enamelled garlands of leaves interspersed with translucent red enamelled berries
3 9/16 in. (90 mm.) wide