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Lot Essay
Presentation snuff-boxes of related design to the present lot were George IV's preferred gift, which he bestowed upon diplomats, courtiers and Royal favourites. The opulence of the enamelling and chased vari-coloured gold design varied as an indication of the recipient's status and importance to the King. A number of differently decorated versions of boxes similar to the present lot exist in the Royal Collection, at the Victoria and Albert Museum and in prestigious private collections.
A box with the same portrait medallion and with the same signature of Rouw and Barber is in the British Museum, (Ms. no. 1978, 1002.228, HG.228). Peter Rouw (1770-1852) a noted wax-modeller was of Flemish origin and trained at the Royal Academy Schools in 1788. He exhibited at the Royal Academy 1787 to 1840 and was appointed Sculptor and Modeller to the Prince of Wales in 1807. He exhibited a collection of wax portraits at the Great Exhibition in 1851. Barber's signature appears on the medal of the Prince commemorating the Treaty of Paris of 1814 but the identity of the modeller was not previously known. The close similarity of the two heads, despite the addition of a laurel leaf on the 1814 medal, suggests that Rouw was also responsible for this 1814 portrait of the Prince. The Victoria and Albert Museum has a gold mounted tortoiseshell box (Department of Sculpture, 390-78) with concave sides and chased gold thumbpiece with a portrait version of the 1814 laureatte medal set into the cover. This portrait, flanked by the Prince of Wales's feathers is signed on the truncation 'RUNDELL, BRIDGE & RUNDELL. J. BARBER F.' It would seem likely that the box may have been made by the firm Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, who were 'Gold and Silversmiths to the Crown' and were the most prominent firm of goldsmiths in Regency London with both Paul Storr and Benjamin Smith working for them. Several boxes described as being made of both gold and tortoiseshell and set with a 'cameo' of the Prince Regent were purchased from Rundell, Bridge & Rundell between 1814 and 1815, the bills for which can be found in the Royal Archives, Windsor Castle (RA 25871-3 and 25886).
A box with the same portrait medallion and with the same signature of Rouw and Barber is in the British Museum, (Ms. no. 1978, 1002.228, HG.228). Peter Rouw (1770-1852) a noted wax-modeller was of Flemish origin and trained at the Royal Academy Schools in 1788. He exhibited at the Royal Academy 1787 to 1840 and was appointed Sculptor and Modeller to the Prince of Wales in 1807. He exhibited a collection of wax portraits at the Great Exhibition in 1851. Barber's signature appears on the medal of the Prince commemorating the Treaty of Paris of 1814 but the identity of the modeller was not previously known. The close similarity of the two heads, despite the addition of a laurel leaf on the 1814 medal, suggests that Rouw was also responsible for this 1814 portrait of the Prince. The Victoria and Albert Museum has a gold mounted tortoiseshell box (Department of Sculpture, 390-78) with concave sides and chased gold thumbpiece with a portrait version of the 1814 laureatte medal set into the cover. This portrait, flanked by the Prince of Wales's feathers is signed on the truncation 'RUNDELL, BRIDGE & RUNDELL. J. BARBER F.' It would seem likely that the box may have been made by the firm Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, who were 'Gold and Silversmiths to the Crown' and were the most prominent firm of goldsmiths in Regency London with both Paul Storr and Benjamin Smith working for them. Several boxes described as being made of both gold and tortoiseshell and set with a 'cameo' of the Prince Regent were purchased from Rundell, Bridge & Rundell between 1814 and 1815, the bills for which can be found in the Royal Archives, Windsor Castle (RA 25871-3 and 25886).