Antique 18th Century Patch Box, Mother of Pearl, 12k Gold, Portrait Miniature in Silver, Seed Pearls
Antique 18th Century Patch Box, Mother of Pearl, 12k Gold, Portrait Miniature in Silver, Seed Pearls
Antique 18th Century Patch Box, Mother of Pearl, 12k Gold, Portrait Miniature in Silver, Seed Pearls
Antique 18th Century Patch Box, Mother of Pearl, 12k Gold, Portrait Miniature in Silver, Seed Pearls
Antique 18th Century Patch Box, Mother of Pearl, 12k Gold, Portrait Miniature in Silver, Seed Pearls
Antique 18th Century Patch Box, Mother of Pearl, 12k Gold, Portrait Miniature in Silver, Seed Pearls
Antique 18th Century Patch Box, Mother of Pearl, 12k Gold, Portrait Miniature in Silver, Seed Pearls
Antique 18th Century Patch Box, Mother of Pearl, 12k Gold, Portrait Miniature in Silver, Seed Pearls
Antique 18th Century Patch Box, Mother of Pearl, 12k Gold, Portrait Miniature in Silver, Seed Pearls
Antique 18th Century Patch Box, Mother of Pearl, 12k Gold, Portrait Miniature in Silver, Seed Pearls
Antique 18th Century Patch Box, Mother of Pearl, 12k Gold, Portrait Miniature in Silver, Seed Pearls
Antique 18th Century Patch Box, Mother of Pearl, 12k Gold, Portrait Miniature in Silver, Seed Pearls
Antique 18th Century Patch Box, Mother of Pearl, 12k Gold, Portrait Miniature in Silver, Seed Pearls

Antique 18th Century Patch Box, Mother of Pearl, 12k Gold, Portrait Miniature in Silver, Seed Pearls

常规价格 $765.00
单价  单价 
结账时计算的运费

An exquisite little treasure, this! Definitely a little c.1740-70 French patch box, entirely made in mother of pearl thin enough to see through, surmounted by a silver frame set with seed pearls (1 missing) and holding a perfect little portrait miniature of Cupid in the act of letting a bird free of its cage (a symbol for lost virginity). A token of love, it has a 12k hinge and thumb rest 'opener'. The small frame up top is sterling silver, no mark (very small items were not always marked) and a perfect little original convex cover glass to protect the charming scene which is painted on gouache on wafer.  One wonders how a fragile small piece like this could possible survive nearly 300 years. 

Very good to excellent condition throughout. There is a single tiny flaw which I've noted with 'x', rear right corner of the top/lid of the box, a very tiny flake chip on the mother of pearl. Look at the interior - the slender mother of pearl lip surrounding the inner bottom - not a flaw there. Oh, as mentioned, one tiny seed pearl is missing from its mount to the sides of the cupid portrait, far right. Those seed pearls are 1 mm - an amazing little work of art. One wonders for whom it was created.  Louis XIV to XVI era, found in France.