BY PIERRE-CHARLES MANÉ (FL. 1777-1793), MARKED, PARIS, 1782/1783, WITH THE FIRST CHARGE AND DISCHARGE MARKS OF HENRY CLAVEL 1780-1782, THE MINIATURE BY LOUIS-MARIE SICARDI (1746-1825), SIGNED AND DATED 'SICARDY 1783' (LOWER LEFT)

Details

A FINE LOUIS XVI GOLD AND GLASS PRESENTATION SNUFF-BOX SET WITH A MINIATURE
by Pierre-Charles Mané (fl. 1777-1793), marked, Paris, 1782/1783, with the first charge and discharge marks of Henry Clavel 1780-1782, the miniature by Louis-Marie Sicardi (1746-1825), signed and dated 'Sicardy 1783' (lower left)
Circular foiled translucent green glass and gold box, the independent cover centred by a glazed oval miniature depicting King Louis XVI of France (1754-1793), in blue velvet coat with multi-colour embroidered borders, decorated with the blue moiré silk sash and the silver breast-star of the Royal French Order of the Holy Ghost, with the red sash and ribbon of the Royal French Military Order of Saint-Louis and with the jewel of the Order of the Golden Fleece, white stock and frilled lace cravat, powdered wig and black wig-bag, a violet velvet cloak embroidered with gold fleurs-de-lys draped over his right shoulder, within a reeded gold border, the translucent green glass panels underlaid with an scalloped radiating engine-turned silvered foil, the matted gold borders applied with twisted cords, the four side dividers chased with roses and foliage, inside the box a piece of yellow and purple embroidered silk ribbon inside an envelope with old handwritten inscription 'Ruban du bonnet que la reine Marie-Antoinette Portait la veille de sa mort' and another old piece of paper with a short piece of cord sealed on, inscribed 'Fil filé par la Vénérable Mère Thérèse de St. Augustin, madame Louise de France.'
2 15/16 in. (74 mm.) diam. (3)

Provenance

Acquired from a member of the Polignac family.

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium

Lot Essay

For other presentation snuff-boxes with miniatures of King Louis XVI by Sicardi, see G. Reynolds, European Miniatures in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1996, no. 61 and 62, illustrated colour pl. 32 and p. 99, and S. Grandjean, Les tabatières du musée du Louvre, Paris, 1981, no. 178, illustrated p. 147 (also illustrated in P. Jean-Richard, Miniatures sur ivoire. Musée du Louvre. Musée d'Orsay, Paris, 1994, no. 577, illustrated p. 315).

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