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Lot Essay
The application of hardstone insects on the present lot reflects the tradition of decorating Scythian warriors' breastplates with small talismanic creatures. It was believed that the more living souls depicted on an object, the more effectively it would bring its owner good fortune. A similarly decorated gold-mounted quartz snuff-box, signed 'F. L. Hoffmann', is in the Gilbert Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, inventory no. GILBERT 416-2008 (C. Truman, The Gilbert Collection of Gold Boxes, Los Angeles, 1991, p. 192, pl. 66). The Louvre's collection also includes a similarly encrusted oval cloudy quartz snuff-box, inventory no. OA 2145 (S. Grandjean, Catalogue des tabatières, boîtes et étuis des XVIIIe et XIXe siècles du musée du Louvre , Paris, 1981, p. 291, pl. 442). Another oval snuff-box of cloudy quartz, encrusted with nearly identical fly and ladybird motifs is recorded in a Private Collection in Berlin (S. Bursche, Galanterien: Dosen, Etuis und Miniaturen aus Gold, Edelsteinen, Email und Porzellan. Eine Berliner Privatsammlung, Berlin, 1996, p. 92, no. 35).
The technique of raised hardstone decoration is usually associated with the court of Frederick the Great in Berlin and the rich mineral deposits found in Saxony. For the most recent information on Hof(f)mann, see L. Seelig, op. cit., pp. 258-261, 383-385.
The technique of raised hardstone decoration is usually associated with the court of Frederick the Great in Berlin and the rich mineral deposits found in Saxony. For the most recent information on Hof(f)mann, see L. Seelig, op. cit., pp. 258-261, 383-385.