A LOUIS XV-STYLE GOLD AND SHELL SNUFF-BOX

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Details

A LOUIS XV-STYLE GOLD AND SHELL SNUFF-BOX
rectangular box, the mother-of-pearl, shell and turquoise cover, sides and base applied with pierced, reeded and engraved gold scenes celebrating the Arts of Peace, featuring a triumphal pavilion where the trumpeting figure of Fame crowns Minerva, who indicates a peace-trophy of weapons laid aside, and bears a shield as the protectress of a female figure who personifies the Arts and Sciences, flowers, urns, all surrounded by scrolling and foliate Rocaille, gold cagework mounts chased with flowers, raised foliate thumbpiece; red fitted hinged leather case
3 7/16 in. (87 mm.) wide (2)

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

A similar box with shell inlay, from the Musée Cognacq-Jay, Paris, is illustrated in C. Le Corbeiller, European and American Snuff Boxes 1730-1830, London, 1966, no. 51. See also A. Somers Cocks/C. Truman, The Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection. Renaissance jewels, gold boxes and objets de vertu, London, 1984, no. 45, pp. 170-171, for a box incorporating turquoise.

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