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Superb 18th Century French Snuff Box, 12k Gold Mat, Silver Pique, Ivory, Eglomise Seascape Painting
Superb 18th Century French Snuff Box, 12k Gold Mat, Silver Pique, Ivory, Eglomise Seascape Painting
Superb 18th Century French Snuff Box, 12k Gold Mat, Silver Pique, Ivory, Eglomise Seascape Painting
Superb 18th Century French Snuff Box, 12k Gold Mat, Silver Pique, Ivory, Eglomise Seascape Painting
Superb 18th Century French Snuff Box, 12k Gold Mat, Silver Pique, Ivory, Eglomise Seascape Painting
Superb 18th Century French Snuff Box, 12k Gold Mat, Silver Pique, Ivory, Eglomise Seascape Painting
Superb 18th Century French Snuff Box, 12k Gold Mat, Silver Pique, Ivory, Eglomise Seascape Painting
Superb 18th Century French Snuff Box, 12k Gold Mat, Silver Pique, Ivory, Eglomise Seascape Painting
Superb 18th Century French Snuff Box, 12k Gold Mat, Silver Pique, Ivory, Eglomise Seascape Painting

Superb 18th Century French Snuff Box, 12k Gold Mat, Silver Pique, Ivory, Eglomise Seascape Painting

Prix régulier $1,395.00 Prix réduit $976.50
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Delicate little beauty, 18th century 3" bonbon, patch or snuff box is quite unique in that the beautiful landscape (seascape) appears to me to be back-painted on the old convex cover glass, a unique and difficult process called "eglomise". Fishermen heading out to work, several small low boats, visible cages, and the sunrise and mist over the river, it's very likely the River Seine. Great detail on a 2" diameter convex glass. Another rather unique bit on this one is the rounded pique work around perimeter of the lid (a single one missing) which one might have anticipated would be facet cut steel, instead. The surface of the mount is a foil which tests at 12k, rather than the 18k more typical in snuffs and portrait miniatures of this era (c.1750-1800). Exterior of the box is fine 250 year old ivory, so restrictions apply. Lower half is lined (as is typical) with thin tortoise shell, the upper slender lip of which forms the closure mechanism as the lid fits down over it. Full measurements noted on the photos.

Very good to excellent condition for age and type. This is definitely 18th century, and does show a little age. As to flaw, you see that one of the tiny metal pique half-rounds is missing. Those are 2mm diameters. An interesting repetition of round decoration, incised, follows the perimeter of both top and bottom halves and again play out on the box's bottom. Seems plausible those might once have had a half pearl or small decorative gem or maybe similar half-rounds of metal. There is a single slender ship to the inner rim of tortoise shell lip, visible in our photos. A very unique and elegant snuff, indeed. 

IMPORTANT NOTE regarding antique tortoise shell or ivory: We are great supporters of protection for endangered species in our modern world. We never buy or sell anything 100 years or newer; we donate to anti-poaching organizations; we don't hunt; we conserve in ways that impact global warming (we're totally solar at home), knowing those measures also protect the animals in the wild today. We also recognize the vast cultural history we preserve with our care and reverence for these antique objects, and agree with CITES that objects over 100 years of age have nothing whatsoever to do with species depletion in our current world. 

Our offering exceeds the age limitation of "more than 100 years of age", and is well within the exemption for CITES regulation. If imported, met the CITES regulation. This item will be handled and shipped from our Utah business, and is not available for shipment internationally, nor within the USA to California, NY, Nevada, Hawaii, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington if it contains ivory, sorry. Please see our small print for more details.