A fabulous and rare c.1770s table snuff with copious inlays of tai-color metal, silver, yellow and rose gold in low karat or 'vermeil', heavy plate in gold on sterling silver. I have not tested it. Knowing the age and the subject, the type of work this would have warranted for the Royal family, it is more likely gold than plating. The value is in the age of it, the rarity of it. This is a hand painted portrait miniature of the sister of French King, Louis XVI. "Miss Elizabeth" is how she was known (Mme. Elizabeth). Some might mistake this portrait for Marie-Antoinette, but I'm certain I am correct in identification. An extra tall table snuff, or perhaps it was a powder box, large as it is. The entire body is dark blond tortoise shell. In some photos it looks darker, but you can see as light passes through it, it is the amber color of blond tortoise shell. A very fine piece from the 18th century. Disbursing my own collections of many decades, remember the fun of finding them all over a lifetime. I fear I have not done this one justice in her photos. Perhaps I'll work it up again.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type. These old ones survive with small flaws or not at all. More than 250 years ago, imagine the artistry and craftsmanship put into this one. Engraved and cut metal to be inlaid into the box made of tortoise shell of finest quality and color, hollowed out for perfect fit of each pique/marquetry piece. There is one long panel missing in two spots of parallel bars on the bottom half - you'll see where if you review the photos. The painting is preserved beneath the original convex cover glass, and I did not remove it or her to see what it is showing up on the photos of the painting. I do not think it is hairline - not doesn't look like it. It has a look of something flaky on undersurface of the cover glass. I don't wish to remove it as it doesn't appear to want to come off easily to clean inside glass. I will leave the decision to its next owner rather than take a chance of cracking something. The box is 3" in diameter and 1 3/4" in height, making it likely to have been a powder jar/box rather than a snuff box.
