PARIS, 1775-76, MAKER'S MARK INDISTINCT POSSIBLY THAT OF PIERRE-FRANCOIS DRAIS; WITH LATER SILVER CONTROL MARKS AFTER 1838, THE MINIATURE ON THE BASE SIGNED 'T. P. 1780'

The maker's mark stamped on this bonbonnière is partially illegible but could be attributed to Pierre-François Drais whose hallmark was often disfigured and partially legible as shown in H. Nocq, Le poinçon de Paris, 1926, p. 98.
Pierre-François Drais (1726-1788) was a pupil of one of his Ducrollay cousins, a Parisian master goldsmith. Drais registered his mark in 1763 and was soon employed by the service of the Menus Plaisirs du Roi. Thus he was commissioned for the famous gold box made for the marriage of the Comte d'Artois to Princess Marie-Thérèse of Savoy. As a result, Drais became bijoutier du Roi and had among his many clients Madame du Barry and, later, King Louis XVI of France.
Drais specialised in the production of gold boxes mounted with miniatures and other precious and exotic materials: porcelain, marble, lacquer. The Metropolitan Museum in New York holds a boîte á miniatures (acc. No. 7.190.1152) by Drais dated 1774-75 with miniatures by Louis Nicolas van Blarenberghe (1716-1794).
The scene featured on the cover is in the style of David Teniers the Younger (1610-90) with the softness and neoclassical feel found in 18th century French paintings. For another box by this goldsmith see lot 41.