Late 1700s fashion, the fichu tucked into her bodice and the huge lade and bow bonner over her big powdered hair or wig, she is a beautifully crafted one of a kind work of art, portrait in miniature. Incredibly distinctive facial features and pale amber eyes, full lips, in a space of only 1/2" from chin to hair - magnificent talent in the painter's skill, but no signature. Full measurements noted on the photos.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type. The tortoise shell snuff box is remarkably unscathed for its age. The original convex cover glass is without damage and the painting on wafer remains as it was when mounted. I did not take this mount off its box and have not checked to see if there is the rather typical thin gold plaque or facing, but I suspect it is. I've had a lot of these from late 1700s which are mounted in that way - more than plating or a foil, and visible as a separate and bonded plaque if viewed open and from its edge. Almost all test as 12-18k gold.
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.