BY JEAN DUCROLLAY (FL. 1734-1761), MARKED, PARIS, 1754/1755, WITH THE CHARGE AND DECHARGE MARKS OF JULIEN BERTHE 1750-1756, THE ENAMEL MINIATURE ATTRIBUTED TO PIERRE PASQUIER (FRENCH, 1731-1806)

Details

A LOUIS XV ENAMELLED AND HARDSTONE GOLD SNUFF-BOX SET WITH A PORTRAIT MINIATURE
BY JEAN DUCROLLAY (FL. 1734-1761), MARKED, PARIS, 1754/1755, WITH THE CHARGE AND DECHARGE MARKS OF JULIEN BERTHE 1750-1756, THE ENAMEL MINIATURE ATTRIBUTED TO PIERRE PASQUIER (FRENCH, 1731-1806)

rectangular box with canted corners, the cover and base set with panels of honey-coloured agate mounted à jour, the sides set with panels of dove-grey enamel on a moiré pattern engine-turned ground, within sablé gold borders with translucent green enamel foliate and white enamel bead entrelac outer frames, the cover centred with an enamel portrait miniature of Louis XIV (1638-1715), King of France 1643-1715, in gilt-edged silver breastplate with fine white Venetian lace cravat, wearing the blue moiré sash of the Royal French Order of the Saint Esprit, long curling brown wig, in conforming enamelled frame

3 1/8 in. (80 mm.) wide

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

Brought to you by

Dido Penny

dpenny@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2794

Lot Essay

One of the most celebrated goldsmiths working in Paris in the 18th century Jean Ducrollay became master in 1734 at which time he was living in the rue de Lamoignon. He had moved to the place Dauphine by 1748 and worked there with his brother Jean-Charles (1712-66). The goldsmiths Louis Roucel and Pierre-François Drais also worked at their premises. The name Ducrollay frequently appears in the accounts of the Menus Plaisirs and those of the ministère des Affaires étrangères. In 1761 the firm was sold to Jean-Marie Tiron de Nanteuil and both of the brothers gave up their goldsmiths’ marks. Jean Ducrollay died in Mantes in 1770.
Enamel miniatures by the Swiss artist Jean Petitot the Elder have always been considered at the height of the art of enamel painting and in the 18th century enamellers such as Pierre Pasquier produced copies of his works. Pasquier purchased an enamel miniature of King Louis XIV by Petitot at the sale of the collection of the banker Cottin on 27 November 1752 (and following days) at Helle & Glomy, salles des Grands Augustins, Paris, lot 564, see B. Hofstetter, Die Welt der Bildnisminiatur, Bern / Sulgen, 2008, p. 108.

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