A GEORGE II ENAMELLED GOLD SNUFF-BOX
A GEORGE II ENAMELLED GOLD SNUFF-BOX

BY FREDERICK DE VEER (FL. 1731-1781), MARKED, LONDON, 1753, WITH LATER ENAMELLED DECORATION BY ALEXANDER JAMES STRACHAN (FL. 1799-1850), CIRCA 1820

Details
A GEORGE II ENAMELLED GOLD SNUFF-BOX
BY FREDERICK DE VEER (FL. 1731-1781), MARKED, LONDON, 1753, WITH LATER ENAMELLED DECORATION BY ALEXANDER JAMES STRACHAN (FL. 1799-1850), CIRCA 1820
rectangular gold box, the hinged cover boldly chased and enamelled with two squirrels, a basket of flowers and a lizard among architectural scrolls, within anthemion border, the sides similarly chased and enamelled with flowersprays, the base chased with an architectural capriccio centering on an urn, with a pyramid beyond
2 7/8 in. (73 mm.) wide
Provenance
Christie's, Geneva, 13 November 1984, lot 28.

Brought to you by

Amelia Anderson
Amelia Anderson

Lot Essay

Frederick de Veer is recorded as a smallworker from 9 December 1731 at White Cross Alley, Middle Moorfields. From 1753 until 1781 he worked from 7 Angel Court, Throgmorton Street, London. Members of the de Veer family were prominent jewellers in Amsterdam and K. Citroen ('A Note on Dutch Gold Boxes of the Eighteenth Century', in A. K. Snowman, Eighteenth Century Gold Boxes of Europe, London, 1966, p. 168) suggests that there may have been a trade between them and Frederick de Veer in London.

For a gold box by Frederick de Veer with comparable chased panels signed 'HAM.OND', see S. Grandjean K. Aschengreen Piacenti et al., The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor - Gold Boxes, Fribourg, 1975, pp. 24-25, no. 1.

The anthemion border of the present box is repeated on a box in G. von Habsburg-Lothringen, Gold Boxes From The Collection of Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert, London, 1983, pp. 49-50, no. 18.

A gold and enamelled mother-of-pearl snuff-box attributed to A. J. Strachan and enamelled with parrots, flowers and a very similar central red squirrel was sold Sotheby's, London, 10 December 1973, lot 92. A box with almost identical gold and enamel decoration by A. J. Strachan, is illustrated in A. K. Snowman, Eighteenth Century Gold Boxes of Europe, London, 1966, pl. 490.

For a George IV enamelled gold scent-bottle, circa 1820, with enamelling possibly attributed to A. J. Strachan and very similar to the enamelling on the present lot, see lot 5.

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