BY JEAN GEORGE (FL. 1752-1765), MARKED, PARIS, 1754/1755, WITH THE CHARGE MARK OF JULIEN BERTHE 1750-1756, THE FLANGE ENGRAVED 'GEORGE. PARIS' AND STRUCK WITH INVENTORY NO. 146, LATER STRUCK WITH TWO FRENCH POST-1864 IMPORT MARKS

Details

A VERY FINE LOUIS XV FOUR-COLOUR GOLD SNUFF-BOX
by Jean George (fl. 1752-1765), marked, Paris, 1754/1755, with the charge mark of Julien Berthe 1750-1756, the flange engraved 'George. Paris' and struck with inventory no. 146, later struck with two French post-1864 import marks
Large and heavy oval box, the cover and base boldly chased in four-colour gold with flowersprays and butterflies on a sunburst ground within wavy borders, the sides similarly chased, the polished gold rims and four side dividers engraved with rows of small sunrise motifs
3½ in. (91 mm.) wide
8 1/3 oz. (239 gr.)

Provenance

Formerly Jeanne van Volxem Collection.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

Jean George was undoubtedly 'one of the most celebrated of the French gold boxes makers' (C. Truman, The Gilbert Collection of Gold Boxes, Los Angeles, 1991, p. 71). He worked extensively for the Royal Court of France, supplying a gold box for the service of the Menus Plaisirs du Roi in 1755, and, between 1755 and 1761, several other boxes for the service of the royal gifts, the Présents du Roi. His widow, Jeanne-Françoise Texier, continued his business and married her husband's apprentice Pierre-François Mathis de Beaulieu (see lot 21).

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