BY ADRIEN-JEAN-MAXIMILIEN VACHETTE (FL. 1753-1839), MARKED, PARIS, 1775/1776, WITH THE CHARGE AND DECHARGE MARKS OF JEAN-BAPTISTE FOUACHE 1774-1780, STRUCK WITH THE PARISIAN POST-REVOLUTIONARY UNOFFICIAL STANDARD MARK FOR EIGHTEEN CARAT GOLD

Details

A LOUIS XVI GOLD-MOUNTED LACQUER AND WOOD SNUFF-BOX
BY ADRIEN-JEAN-MAXIMILIEN VACHETTE (FL. 1753-1839), MARKED, PARIS, 1775/1776, WITH THE CHARGE AND DECHARGE MARKS OF JEAN-BAPTISTE FOUACHE 1774-1780, STRUCK WITH THE PARISIAN POST-REVOLUTIONARY UNOFFICIAL STANDARD MARK FOR EIGHTEEN CARAT GOLD
rectangular gold-lined box, the cover, sides and base each set with a panel of French Japanese-style lacquer over thuya wood depicting chinoiserie rural village scenes, with peasant figures amidst houses and trees, within chased foliate reeded borders
2 7/8 in. (75 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

David McLachlan

dmclachlan@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2650

Lot Essay

Japanese lacquer first started to appear at the French court in the 1730s and quickly became highly sought after. The techniques were perfected in Japan in the 1680s and were so popular in Europe as to be copied only fifty years later by Parisian lacquer craftsmen. One may conjecture that these French artists must have seen Japanese originals in the collection of one of the very few extremely wealthy French connoisseurs able to afford such highly prized, rare and exotic objects. For another box by this goldsmith see lots 24,34,39,40 and 64.

More from Gold Boxes: An Important Private Collection

View All