Magnificent late 18th century to early 19th century French painting, a landscape with fiver and boat, shoreline and distant castle or cathedral in a sunset view, this one is back-painted on glass, an early 'eglomise' painting. The glass is slightly convex, much like a cover glass would be, but the painting is a reverse painting (very difficult art) directly on the inside glass. The painting is beautifully mounted with a broad bright gold-layered metal mount frame, and atop a pristine tortoise shell table snuff box that has no damage at all - all aspects rare. From my personal collections of decades, found in France. Measurements noted on the photos.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type. Over 200 years old, very well treasured for the work of art it truly is. No damage or losses to report. I have not dismounted it to test gold or silver. I do believe it is a silver mount with 18k gold, or 'vermeil', though I did not locate the anticipated tiny French punch marks or poincon that would confirm it. It needs no polish or cleaning to retain this brilliant gold, and displays as jewel-like as you see it here. Delicate art work, fine box.
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.
