Lot Essay
Eight other gold boxes by this prolific goldsmith, all identically marked as the present box, are in the Louvre (see S. Grandjean, Les tabatières du musée du Louvre, Paris, 1981, nos. 566-568 and 570-574).
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MAKER'S MARK 'LFT', GENEVA, CIRCA 1800, FURTHER PRESTIGE MARKS INCLUDING DATE-LETTER 'K' AND A ROSETTE SIMULATING THE CHARGE MARK OF JULIEN ALATERRE AND A HEN'S HEAD SIMULATING THE DISCHARGE MARK OF JULIEN BERTHE, STRUCK WITH INVENTORY NO. 90 AND THE RESTRICTED WARRANTY MARK AND THE SMALL CENSUS MARK FOR THE FRENCH DEPARTMENTS 1809-1819 DURING THE FRENCH OCCUPATION OF GENEVA UNTIL 1814
Details
A SWISS ENAMELLED GOLD SNUFF-BOX
maker's mark 'LFT', Geneva, circa 1800, further prestige marks including date-letter 'K' and a rosette simulating the charge mark of Julien Alaterre and a hen's head simulating the discharge mark of Julien Berthe, struck with inventory no. 90 and the restricted warranty mark and the small census mark for the French departments 1809-1819 during the French occupation of Geneva until 1814
Octagonal box with even sides and hinge on the lid, the panels on cover, sides and base enamelled in opaque sky-blue framed by gold flutes and opaque white enamel stripes, the borders enamelled in bright blue decorated with scrolling gold paillons, the overlapping thumbpiece later set with a silver-mounted table-cut diamond
2 1/8 in. (54 mm.) wide
maker's mark 'LFT', Geneva, circa 1800, further prestige marks including date-letter 'K' and a rosette simulating the charge mark of Julien Alaterre and a hen's head simulating the discharge mark of Julien Berthe, struck with inventory no. 90 and the restricted warranty mark and the small census mark for the French departments 1809-1819 during the French occupation of Geneva until 1814
Octagonal box with even sides and hinge on the lid, the panels on cover, sides and base enamelled in opaque sky-blue framed by gold flutes and opaque white enamel stripes, the borders enamelled in bright blue decorated with scrolling gold paillons, the overlapping thumbpiece later set with a silver-mounted table-cut diamond
2 1/8 in. (54 mm.) wide
Special notice
VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.