Lot Essay
A similar box by Désir is in the Louvre, illustrated in S. Grandjean, Les tabatières du musée du Louvre, Paris, 1981, no. 78.
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BY JEAN-LOUIS DÉSIR (FL. 1771-1793), MARKED, PARIS, 1777/1778, WITH THE CHARGE AND DISCHARGE MARKS OF JEAN-BAPTISTE FOUACHE 1774-1780, LATER STRUCK WITH TWO PARISIAN POST-1838 RESTRICTED WARRANTY MARKS FOR GOLD
Details
A LOUIS XVI ENAMELLED GOLD SNUFF-BOX SET WITH AN ENAMEL MINIATURE
by Jean-Louis Désir (fl. 1771-1793), marked, Paris, 1777/1778, with the charge and discharge marks of Jean-Baptiste Fouache 1774-1780, later struck with two Parisian post-1838 restricted warranty marks for gold
Oval box, the cover, side and base panels with translucent blue enamel on an engine-turned peaked ground, within fluted gold and white enamel borders, the cover centred by an oval enamel plaque painted en grisaille on a pink ground with Pygmalion pinching the leg of his statue coming to life and attended by amoretti, within gold a rim and a matted border enamelled with translucent green leaves, blue and white beads and translucent red ovolos, the side pilasters similarly enamelled with medallions hung from bows surrounded by wreathes, the outer matted gold borders engraved with a wavy fluted ribbon intertwined with translucent green enamelled garlands of leaves interspersed with translucent red enamelled beads and flowerheads
2¾ in. (69 mm.) wide
by Jean-Louis Désir (fl. 1771-1793), marked, Paris, 1777/1778, with the charge and discharge marks of Jean-Baptiste Fouache 1774-1780, later struck with two Parisian post-1838 restricted warranty marks for gold
Oval box, the cover, side and base panels with translucent blue enamel on an engine-turned peaked ground, within fluted gold and white enamel borders, the cover centred by an oval enamel plaque painted en grisaille on a pink ground with Pygmalion pinching the leg of his statue coming to life and attended by amoretti, within gold a rim and a matted border enamelled with translucent green leaves, blue and white beads and translucent red ovolos, the side pilasters similarly enamelled with medallions hung from bows surrounded by wreathes, the outer matted gold borders engraved with a wavy fluted ribbon intertwined with translucent green enamelled garlands of leaves interspersed with translucent red enamelled beads and flowerheads
2¾ in. (69 mm.) wide