For many years I've surrounded myself with these portraits of the past. Mostly French, and sometimes incorporated into jewelry or snuff boxes, as this one is, they're history of fashion, of the people who lived through (or perhaps did not) the French Revolutionary times that ended the reign of ill-fated Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette. Turbulent times that thrust lives into battle, retreat, expulsion and beheading, on the way to the people's thirst for democracy. I can tell you that this woman would have lived in the 1760s from her fashion here, and she would have been an elite or a courtier of the Louis King courts, XV to XVI era. The turmoil was yet to come when she posed serenely in her chair. She remains today, museum quality. The snuff box is blond tortoise shell, also beautifully preserved. I only wish we knew her identity.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type. The portrait has no damage at all, no warp, no chips, so well protected under the original slightly convex cover glass within its mat. That mat might be gold, though I have not taken it out and don't wish to scratch it visibly to acid test. If it is not, it is certainly gold plating. No need to polish and it looks like karat gold. The snuff box has a few bug bites, visible as you review it. It fits very snug, top and bottom. I did not try to pry it open, though I'm sure it can open. I fear chipping the shell, though. Measurements are noted on the photos. A typical table snuff box at 3 1/8" diameter and 1" in depth. Blond shell is most rare and this would have been a treasure even in its time.
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.
