CIRCA 1730-40, BEARING AN INDISTINCT FRENCH DECHARGE MARK

In the 18th century this type of decoration was applied to white porcelain from a variety of factories including Saint-Cloud, Meissen and blanc de chine and to enamels on copper. Strips of gold foil were punched into metal dies producing a variety of designs which were then applied and fired onto the porcelain over a suitable flux. Often the metal dies or paillons were quite large enabling enamel to be added in different sections. The same designs can be seen both on Saint-Cloud, Meissen and blanc de chine. For a full discussion of this type of decoration and the most recent research see Errol Manners, ‘Gold decoration on French, German and Oriental Porcelain in the early 18th Century’, French Porcelain Society Journal, 2011, Vol. IV, pp. 24-42, where a number of Saint-Cloud pieces are illustrated with decoration of similar type, and in particular a similar snuff-box to the present lot on p. 32, fig. 10 a & b. Charles Truman, The Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, Renaissance jewels, gold boxes and objets de vertu, London, 1984, p. 266 mentions the communauté des Paillonneurs, of Paris, who supplied paillons to enamellers and makers of clock cases and dials.