We've sold a number of those elegant c.1805-10 Palais Royal jewelry items just like she's wearing. Tiara, double-buckle at bodice of her Empire gown, bracelet, necklace and earrings. It's always fun to find a portrait of a young woman wearing them all. The red coral jewelry was thought to have protective qualities regarding, specifically, a girl's virtue. She holds a French fleur de lys, the National flower of France under Royals. She is obviously a child of wealth and privilege, and she's also obviously a Royalist. The red gown and flower are solid icons, a descendant of someone lost to The Terror's guillotine (red) and her image supports Royalty of France, who were, when this painting was done, in exile under Napoleon's reign. She's quite easy to place in time. Mounted on a pristine snuff box which is so dark and shiny, one might think it is of lathe-turned ebony. It definitely has a thin inner liner of tortoise shell, however - look at the rim, and I do think the entire box is tortoise shell. There are no losses at all to it. Measurements noted on the photos. The outer mat tests as 18k gold, but it is only a layer (not a plating, but a worked thicker plaque) which is backed by a brass fitting.
Very good to excellent condition throughout, age and type considered. Not a bug bite nor chip, no cracks, the box is superb. A tiny bit of ding/dents to the 18k gold mat. No damage to the old convex cover glass nor to the painting's wafer. There is no signature on this elegant little painting, and nothing inside it to tell us her identity.
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.
