UNMARKED, CIRCA 1640, THE COUNTERS AFTER SIMON DE PASSE

Details

A CHARLES I SILVER COUNTER BOX
UNMARKED, CIRCA 1640, THE COUNTERS AFTER SIMON DE PASSE
The top of the cover engraved with Old Father Time, the sides of the box with military trophies and the inside rim of the cover unusually engraved with scenes of rabbits amongst tulips and other flowers, containing 26 counters die-struck with portraits of English monarchs from William the Conquerer to Charles I and including one counter with Phillip of Spain
1 1/8 in. (2.8 cm.) high

Provenance

Christie's London, 24 June 1975, lot 155.

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. This lot will be removed to an off-site warehouse at the close of business on the day of sale - 2 weeks free storage

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Lot Essay

Simon de Passe (1595-1647) was born in Cologne, the son of the engraver Crispijn de Passe (1567-1637) and his wife Magdalene (1555-1635). Of the couple's five childen, four went on to become engravers. Simon moved to London in 1616 where he became an accomplished portraitist known for engraving royal portraits such as the present examples.

Eric Delieb notes that de Passe "...invented a method whereby a steel die was cut and wafer-thin disks of silver were struck with motifs, thereby imitating engraving by hand." (Eric Delieb, Silver Boxes, London, 1986, p. 17). For a Charles II box, with very similar counters to the present examples see: Delieb, ibid, p. 46.

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