One of my favorites, this! The tiny painting is superb, a beautiful woman from about 1750-70, scabbard of flowers slung over her low-bodice gown like a shawl of flowers, and a crown of violets or lilac placed upon her head. Those big soulful eyes with a sultry but bold connection to the viewer. I have no idea who she was, and I find no artist signature, but this 1/2" face is just exquisitely captured by some very talented miniaturist of the era. Definitely a woman of means, or a valued Mistress, the special little snuff or patch box has bands and bands of 18k gold with repeat of flowers in repoussé chasing. So rich and beautiful, one almost overlooks the fact of it being crafted in fine blond tortoise shell. A paper lining inside lid, I suspect it was more likely a patch box or tiny bonboniere, and less likely a snuff box in its origin. Superb little thing, museum piece!
Very good to excellent condition throughout. No breaks, no cracks nor chips. It has been carefully preserved. I can note that it appears some sort of tiny pins, or perhaps gems might have originally been in the small holes you see on the side of the top rim of 18k gold. It seems likely to have been loosened at some point in order to clean the inner convex cover glass, which allowed me to remove it and clean it again while photographing it. I have re-mounted it, and curiously, see no corresponding holes on the covered sides of the lid, so again wonder if perhaps gems might have been mounted at one time. The blond tortoise shell is caramel to amber in color and is semitransparent, beautiful. Blond tortoise shell was the height of luxurious materials in this era, c.1740-70s. Full measurements noted on the photo.
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.
