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Lot Essay
This elaborately constructed snuff-box is dominated by variously coloured iridescent panels of mother-of-pearl framed by finely chased gold cloisons, which together create a vivid depiction of military camps.
This box is struck with the mark of Jean II Gaillard, apprenticed with his father, also called Jean Gaillard, who himself held the prestigious position of garde des pierreries de Madame and who trained his son to work with precious mounted pieces. Objects recorded with his marks tend to be quite eclectic but always of the highest standard. Amongst his most distinctive and memorable creations are undoubtedly a gold-mounted rock crystal covered jar, dated 1726, sold Christie's, Paris, 4 October 2012, lot 48, and a gold-mounted rock crystal ewer and basin, marked for 1727-1730, now in the Wallace Collection. It is therefore no surprise to see him skillfully handle both rock crystal or mother-of-pearl.
This box is one of two examples of this mosaic design currently known by this maker: the present lot and another in the collection of the Louvre Museum (OA 2127) dated 1744, which depicts a palace, with each panel featuring a different façade, in both instances a very elaborate and technical design.
The fashion for mother-of-pearl is believed to have originated in Germany in the late 1720s, although its use in France only became popular in the 1740s. Early French examples are generally gold boxes, inlaid with mother-of-pearl motifs such as lot 18 also by Gaillard and the one dated 1745-1747 by Michel-Étienne Filassier now in the Victoria and Albert Museum (acc. no. 163-1878).
Gaillard, despite his undeniable talent, also had a complicated professional life. He entered a first mark in 1695 but in 1702 he is recorded as being 'absent' (see Nocq, 1928, vol. 2, p. 204). However, in July 1731 he entered his second mark made up of the letters J.G. with a sun in between (stamped on this box). Gaillard was suspended from his trade after the discovery of an unmarked salt-cellar on his premises in July 1747; he was later rehabilitated in 1750, and entered a new mark in September 1751 with a star symbol, before being suspended once again in 1754 for another unmarked salt-cellar.
This box is struck with the mark of Jean II Gaillard, apprenticed with his father, also called Jean Gaillard, who himself held the prestigious position of garde des pierreries de Madame and who trained his son to work with precious mounted pieces. Objects recorded with his marks tend to be quite eclectic but always of the highest standard. Amongst his most distinctive and memorable creations are undoubtedly a gold-mounted rock crystal covered jar, dated 1726, sold Christie's, Paris, 4 October 2012, lot 48, and a gold-mounted rock crystal ewer and basin, marked for 1727-1730, now in the Wallace Collection. It is therefore no surprise to see him skillfully handle both rock crystal or mother-of-pearl.
This box is one of two examples of this mosaic design currently known by this maker: the present lot and another in the collection of the Louvre Museum (OA 2127) dated 1744, which depicts a palace, with each panel featuring a different façade, in both instances a very elaborate and technical design.
The fashion for mother-of-pearl is believed to have originated in Germany in the late 1720s, although its use in France only became popular in the 1740s. Early French examples are generally gold boxes, inlaid with mother-of-pearl motifs such as lot 18 also by Gaillard and the one dated 1745-1747 by Michel-Étienne Filassier now in the Victoria and Albert Museum (acc. no. 163-1878).
Gaillard, despite his undeniable talent, also had a complicated professional life. He entered a first mark in 1695 but in 1702 he is recorded as being 'absent' (see Nocq, 1928, vol. 2, p. 204). However, in July 1731 he entered his second mark made up of the letters J.G. with a sun in between (stamped on this box). Gaillard was suspended from his trade after the discovery of an unmarked salt-cellar on his premises in July 1747; he was later rehabilitated in 1750, and entered a new mark in September 1751 with a star symbol, before being suspended once again in 1754 for another unmarked salt-cellar.