BY ADRIEN-JEAN-MAXIMILIEN VACHETTE (FL. 1753-1839), MARKED, PARIS, 1784, WITH SECOND CHARGE AND DECHARGE MARKS OF HENRI CLAVEL 1782-1789, THE GOLD PLAQUES ATTRIBUTED TO GÉRARD DEBÈCHE FILS (1705-1777)

Vachette was one of the best-known of the Parisian gold box makers at the turn of the 18th to the 19th Century. He registered his mark in 1779 and later worked together with Nitot, one of the court jewellers of Emperor Napoleon I. Henry Nocq (Le poinçon de Paris, Paris, 1968, [reprint], p. 76), praises Vachette: 'Avant et aprés la Révolution les plus belles tabatières d'or sont marquées du poinçon de Vachette.' For another box by this goldsmith see lots 24,34,39,64 and 70. For another box with chased plaques by Debèche see lot 32.
For a discussion of the work of Gérard Debèche fils see Charles Truman, The Gilbert Collection of Gold Boxes, Los Angeles, 1991, pp. 94-96.