BY CHARLES LE BASTIER (FL. 1754-1783), MARKED, PARIS, 1762/1763, WITH THE CHARGE MARK OF ELOY BRICHARD 1756-1762 AND THE DECHARGE MARK OF JEAN-JACQUES PREVOST 1762-1768, STAMPED WITH INVENTORY NUMBER 1157

Details

A LOUIS XV VARI-COLOUR GOLD AND SILVER SNUFF-BOX
BY CHARLES LE BASTIER (FL. 1754-1783), MARKED, PARIS, 1762/1763, WITH THE CHARGE MARK OF ELOY BRICHARD 1756-1762 AND THE DECHARGE MARK OF JEAN-JACQUES PREVOST 1762-1768, STAMPED WITH INVENTORY NUMBER 1157
rectangular box with silver-gilt interior, the cover, sides and base set with panels of sun-ray chasing overlaid with vari-colour gold rural dwellings amidst woodland scenes, chased outer gold borders
3 1/8 in. (80 mm.) wide
3 oz. (100 gr.)

Special notice

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Lot Essay

For a nearly identical example by Charles Le Bastier dated 1756-1762, ingot-shaped and adorned with countryside landscapes with architecture on sunburst grounds, see Christie's, Geneva, 19 May 1992, lot 74. Parisian goldsmiths, beside gold boxes, also made silver boxes although there appears to have been less demand for these; meanwhile in the Province, a greater number of silver boxes have survived, which suggests that these boxes were aimed either at the lower end of the market or were used as trade samples to be shown to clients, and possibly displayed with the marchand-merciers such as Granchez's 'Du petit Dunkerque'. Parisian goldsmiths were also permitted to manufacture silver boxes decorated in vari-colour gold and hinged with gold. Charles Le Bastier produced several such boxes between 1760 and 1765 including the present example.
For another box by this goldsmith see lots 75 and 87.

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