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Lot Essay
The present box belongs to a group of highly fashionable luxury boxes produced from the mid-1740s to the late 1740s, characterised by the use of mother-of-pearl, burgau shell and tinted shell panels arranged in floral or geometric designs.
The fashion appears to have originated in Germany during the 1720s before spreading to France. In France, the use of such materials was further encouraged by sumptuary regulations and restrictions on the amount of precious metal that could be employed, prompting goldsmiths to explore decorative alternatives whilst maintaining a luxurious appearance. Claude de Villers, whose mark appears on the present box, was one of the most accomplished and was amongst the privileged goldsmiths associated with the Gobelins Manufactory and the French royal household. His position brought him into close contact with artists and craftsmen working in a variety of media, undoubtedly contributing to his mastery of combining gold mounts with decorative materials such as hardstones, shells and mother-of-pearl.
The fashion appears to have originated in Germany during the 1720s before spreading to France. In France, the use of such materials was further encouraged by sumptuary regulations and restrictions on the amount of precious metal that could be employed, prompting goldsmiths to explore decorative alternatives whilst maintaining a luxurious appearance. Claude de Villers, whose mark appears on the present box, was one of the most accomplished and was amongst the privileged goldsmiths associated with the Gobelins Manufactory and the French royal household. His position brought him into close contact with artists and craftsmen working in a variety of media, undoubtedly contributing to his mastery of combining gold mounts with decorative materials such as hardstones, shells and mother-of-pearl.