A LOUIS XVI VARI-COLOUR GOLD BOTE--SECRET SET WITH MINIATURES

PARIS, 1782/1783, WITH THE FIRST CHARGE AND DISCHARGE MARKS AND THE SECOND COUNTERMARK OF HENRY CLAVEL, MAKER'S MARK RUBBED

Details

A LOUIS XVI VARI-COLOUR GOLD BOTE--SECRET SET WITH MINIATURES
Paris, 1782/1783, with the first charge and discharge marks and the second countermark of Henry Clavel, maker's mark rubbed
Circular box, the hinged cover, base and four side panels set with glazed miniatures painted in brown camaeu with allegories of Love including playful children and a dog in landscapes, the two-colour gold cagework mounts chased with laurel wreathes interspersed with flowerheads, the sides furthermore chased with laurel festoons on matted gold panels, the gold mount on the cover unscrewing to reveal a secret compartment
2.13/16 in. (71 mm.) diam.

Provenance

According to an old label inside the box, given by Queen Marie-Antoinette of France to Pierre-Nicolas de Meulan.
Given by Pierre-Nicolas de Meulan to his grand-daughter.
Given by her to G. de Champ.
The estate of Madame R. de Champ.

Lot Essay

The old label inside the box explains that 16 year old Pierre-Nicolas de Meulan was given this box by Queen Marie-Antoinette on his nomination as secrtaire des commandements of the Queen's daughter, Madame Royale, later Duchess of Angoulme. Pierre-Nicolas de Meulan was among the defendors of the Royal Family on the storming of the Tuileries on 10 August 1792 and survived buried under a pile of corpses of Swiss Guards, and was pulled out and saved by a waiter. After Napoleon's fall, he became sous-prfet of Fontainebleau and later prfet of the Vosges department.

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