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Gold Lacquer Incense Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
A Gold Lacquer Kōbako (Incense Box)
Edo Period (1615–1868), Circa 1850
This exquisite gold lacquer kōbako (incense box) exemplifies the refined craftsmans...
Category
Antique 19th Century Japanese Edo Decorative Boxes
Materials
Gold, Silver, Gold Leaf
Edo-Period Lacquerware Chest
Located in New Orleans, LA
Edo-Period Lacquerware Chest
19th-century
This exquisite chest, inspired by Hasami-Bako travel trunks, is a striking example of Japanese lacquerware. The hiramaki-e technique—applie...
Category
Antique 19th Century Japanese Edo Decorative Boxes
Materials
Gold
Gold Étui in Original Case
Located in New Orleans, LA
Gold Étui in Original Case
Jacques Martin Petitjean
Circa 1777
Expertly engraved entirely of yellow gold, this remarkably rare Louis XVI-era étui is a work of art. Resplendent colum...
Category
Antique 18th Century French Louis XVI Decorative Boxes
Materials
Gold
Bulgari Sterling Silver and Gold Partagás Cigar Box
By Bulgari
Located in New Orleans, LA
Sterling Silver and Gold Partagás Cigar Box
Bulgari
Dated 1976
This exceptional Bulgari sterling silver and gold cigar box embodies the height of Italian luxury and craftsmanship. T...
Category
20th Century Italian Cigar Boxes and Humidors
Materials
Gold, Sterling Silver
Cylinder Music Box by Le Coultre Freres
Located in New Orleans, LA
This outstanding Swiss cylinder music box was crafted by the prestigious firm of Le Coultre Freres of Geneva. The highly intricate movement plays a selection of twelve popular tunes ...
Category
Antique 19th Century Swiss Decorative Boxes
Materials
Metal
18th-Century French Gold Etui
Located in New Orleans, LA
A marvelous objet d'art is this exquisite Louis XVI-era étui. Crafted entirely of green and yellow gold, this stunning octagonal vessel bears an exceptional, engraved Neoclassical de...
Category
Antique 18th Century French Louis XVI Decorative Boxes
Materials
Gold
Micromosaic Snuff Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exceptional micromosaic snuff box represents the heights of this ancient art form. Depicting four doves sitting atop a bronze dish, the inse...
Category
Antique 19th Century Neoclassical Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Bronze
French Limoges Enamel Box
By Limoges
Located in New Orleans, LA
This delightful porcelain and enamel box perfectly exemplifies the esteemed French Limoges tradition. It features a meticulously hand-applied pink and blue floral scene against a bro...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Decorative Boxes
Materials
Enamel
Russian Silver, Gold And Niello Topographical Snuff Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This silver, gold and niello inlaid topographical snuffbox is a masterpiece of Russian silver. Almost owned by a wealthy 19th-century tradesman, this extraordinary creation shares a ...
Category
Antique 19th Century Russian Other Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Gold, Silver
Meissen Rococo Porcelain Box
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in New Orleans, LA
Incredible hand-painted scenes inspired by Rococo master Antoine Watteau cover this magnificent Meissen porcelain box. Displaying romantic courts...
Category
Antique 18th Century German Rococo Decorative Boxes
Materials
Porcelain
Sèvres Porcelain And Bronze Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
Seven resplendent Sèvres porcelain plaques surround this magnificent doré bronze box. The bright floral motif on the plaques perfectly matches the intr...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Decorative Boxes
Materials
Bronze
Plique-À-Jour Enamel And Glass Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
Crafted entirely with an exceptionally detailed enamel technique known as pliqué-à-jour, this French box is a luxurious objet d'art. Exhibiting a subtle translucence like that of sta...
Category
20th Century French Art Nouveau Decorative Boxes
Materials
Enamel
German Porcelain Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This important German porcelain box exhibits delightful artistry and craftsmanship. Its hand-painted wild game scene celebrates the natural world,...
Category
Antique 18th Century German Decorative Boxes
Materials
Gold, Bronze
English Gold And Hardstone Snuff Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This 18th-century English snuff box is composed of a beautiful dark hardstone body encased in gold casework mounts. The box opens with a hinged lid, allowing snuff stored inside to b...
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century English Rococo Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Gold
Bruguier Tortoiseshell Swiss Fusée Singing Bird Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This extremely rare, early Swiss automaton singing bird box by the famed Charles Bruguier is housed in a case enveloped in luxurious tortoiseshell. Ev...
Category
Antique 19th Century Swiss Louis XV Decorative Boxes
Materials
Gold
Swiss Enamel And Gold Musical Snuff Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exceptional 19th-century gold box appears at first glance be an exquisite snuff box adorned with a charming Swiss enamel vista encircled by a multitude of natural pearls. A quick wind of the key, however, reveals the complex mechanism hidden inside, and the box plays a wistful tune. Once known as carillons à musique...
Category
Antique 19th Century Swiss Other Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Gold, Enamel
Fabergé Silver-Mounted Glass Covered Box
By Fabergé
Located in New Orleans, LA
Beautiful and rare, this superb silver-mounted cut glass box was crafted by the legendary Russian firm Fabergé. The rounded cut glass box features a diamond pattern, while the hinged...
Category
20th Century Russian Decorative Boxes
Materials
Silver
19th Century Swiss Gold Musical Vinaigrette
Located in New Orleans, LA
This early 19th century Swiss gold vinaigrette has the charming addition of a musical mechanism. The entire box is crafted of 14-karat yellow gold envelo...
Category
Antique 19th Century Swiss Neoclassical Decorative Boxes
Materials
Gold, Enamel
Palais-Royal Mother-of-Pearl Perfume Box and Flasks
Located in New Orleans, LA
This mother-of-pearl inlay perfume box is a rare and complete treasure from the famed Palais-Royal of France’s Second Empire. The box is a work of art, meticulously fashioned to deli...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Other Decorative Boxes
Materials
Ormolu
Mother of Pearl Vinaigrette, 19th Century
Located in New Orleans, LA
This delightful gold and mother of pearl vinaigrette is ripe with 19th-century charm. Emblazoned with the initials "E.L" for its original owner, the book-shaped vinaigrette almost ce...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Decorative Boxes
Materials
Gold
Cartier Gold and Sapphire Card Case
By Cartier
Located in New Orleans, LA
Formed entirely of 18K yellow gold polished to a high shine, this sleek case was created by the one and only Cartier. The exterior features a finel...
Category
20th Century French Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Gold
Louis XV Mother-of-pearl Snuffbox
By Louis Robin
Located in New Orleans, LA
This Louis XV-period gold-mounted snuff box features lustrous panels of inlaid mother-of-pearl. The whimsical box takes the form of a barrel and features hinged lids on both ends. Di...
Category
Antique 18th Century French Louis XV Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Gold
Duke and Duchess of Windsor Gold Snuff Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This important Louis XV gold snuff box is from the prestigious collection of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. The engine-turned gold box or...
Category
Antique 18th Century French Louis XV Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Gold
Fabergé Glass Box
By Peter Carl Fabergé
Located in New Orleans, LA
Beautifully rare, this superb silver-mounted cut glass toilette box was crafted by legendary Russian jeweler and artisan Peter Carl Fabergé. The rou...
Category
Antique 19th Century Russian Decorative Boxes
Materials
Silver
Gold and Agate Sewing Nécessaire
Located in New Orleans, LA
A stunning specimen of agate distinguishes this diminutive French sewing nécessaire. The segments of beautiful hard stone are perfectly complemented ...
Category
Antique 18th Century French Rococo Collectible Jewelry
Materials
Agate, Gold
French Sapphire and Enamel Cigarette Case
Located in New Orleans, LA
This French gold cigarette case is a splendid specimen of early 20th century style and refinement. The 18-karat yellow gold accessory is surrounded by exquisite "pinstripe" white enameling with a line of channel-set blue sapphires running along the façade and thumb press.
Smoking accessories...
Category
Early 20th Century French Other Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Multi-gemstone, Gold, Enamel
Carved Citrine Pill Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exquisite French pill box combines the mastery of the French goldsmithing tradition with the radiance of citrine. The box was crafted by the celebrated French jeweler Gustave-Roger Sandoz, who was renowned for producing exceptional pieces with a variety of gems in the Art Nouveau style. In this example, he brilliantly combined pieces of highly translucent, golden citrine with gold to create the exquisite box. The texture of the carving is exceptional, with a natural and dynamic motif that evokes the very best tenets of the Art Nouveau style. The gold rim is further decorated with tiny beads, while a pearl-mounted gold leaf finial completes the exceptional piece.
Maison Gustave Sandoz...
Category
20th Century Art Nouveau Decorative Boxes
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl, Glass, Art Glass
Montesquieu Portrait Tortoiseshell Snuff Box
By Jacques Joseph de Gault
Located in New Orleans, LA
An exquisite miniature of French philosopher Charles Montesquieu graces the lid of this tortoiseshell-lined snuff box. The handsome portrait was fash...
Category
Antique 18th Century French Louis XV Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Gold, Enamel
Mandolin Singing Bird Automaton Music Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exceptional singing bird cylinder music box is a wonder of Austrian mechanical ingenuity. Not only does it play a selection of classical airs with remarkable tone and clarity, but its lush sound is accompanied by a colorful, singing bird automaton...
Category
Antique 19th Century Austrian Other Musical Instruments
Materials
Satinwood
Silver-Gilt Musical Snuff Box by François Nicole
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exceptional Swiss silver-gilt musical snuff box was crafted by the famed François Nicole. At first glance, the diminutive piece appears to simpl...
Category
Antique 19th Century Swiss Neoclassical Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Silver
Silver-Mounted Glass Casket by Daum Nancy
By Daum
Located in New Orleans, LA
This enchanting green glass and silver casket from renowned French art glass company Daum evokes the verdant lushness of a summer garden. Finely detailed silver clovers and vines encircle rich green glass in this luminescent and highly unique piece.
Daum has been one of the most important names in French art glass since the late 19th century. Employing a team of talented artists, the firm produced both commercial glass and singular pieces of outstanding quality. Daum glass was first produced in about 1872, manufacturing plate glass and tableware for the French market in Nancy, and it was in 1890 that Auguste and Antonin Daum...
Category
20th Century French Decorative Boxes
Materials
Silver
Swiss Gold Musical Snuff Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This special and important Swiss gold music box is chased and engraved with a set of musical instruments surrounded by elaborate swirls of ornate foliage. Embossed with a delightful braided gold design, the two-compartment box features an exquisite oval agate key, which opens a recessed lock in the base of the box. Such a box would have been a prized possession and would have been able to fit neatly into a gentleman’s waistcoat pocket.
Ingenious miniature portable devices, musical snuff boxes...
Category
Antique 19th Century Swiss Other Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Gold
Victorian Necessaire De Voyage
Located in New Orleans, LA
A wonderful English coromandel travel case, or necessaire de voyage, boasts toiletries adorned with Victorian silver, cut crystal, and mother-of-p...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Jewelry Boxes
Materials
Crystal, Silver
18th Century English Agate Snuff Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
Trimmed in elegant yellow gold is this polished English agate snuff box. Distinguished by the dynamic patterning of the agate, the exquisite vessel i...
Category
Antique 18th Century English Other Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Agate, Gold
Musical Jewelry and Sewing Casket
Located in New Orleans, LA
This charming musical jewelry and sewing box is a work of sublime artistry. Almost certainly German or Austrian in origin and crafted of deep, ebonized...
Category
Early 20th Century Austrian Other Decorative Boxes
Materials
Multi-gemstone
French Chinoiserie Hardstone Snuff Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
A marvelously carved chinoiserie motif adorns the lid of this incredible 19th-century French tabatière or snuff box. The charming scene is intricately crafted in the form of a boating figure who holds aloft an umbrella formed of yellow gold, while the box itself is crafted from attractive brown hardstone mounted with stunning yellow gold "waves." Enchanting and beautifully executed, the rare snuff box is an incredible example of the creative artistry of these delightful boxes, as well as the highly popular chinoiserie style.
Inhaling snuff, or snuffing, as it is also called, was a popular social ritual among the European elite from the 16th through the 19th centuries. Over these 300 years, master artisans created and designed elegant snuff boxes using...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Chinoiserie Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Stone, Gold
American Cut Glass and Silver Tobacco Jar
By Bailey, Banks & Biddle
Located in New Orleans, LA
This resplendent tobacco jar by Bailey, Banks & Biddle of Philadelphia features a beautiful sterling silver lid atop a body of elegant cut-to-clear glass. The lid is adorned with a wonderful Rococo repoussé decoration which contrasts beautifully with the green and cranberry cut glass...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century American Other Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Sterling Silver
Elkington Silver Tea Caddy
By Elkington & Co.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Uniquely designed in the form of a gift box tied with ribbon, this engaging silver tea caddy was created by the prominent silversmith Frederick Elking...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver
Agate and Micromosaic Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
Intricate and flawless, the highly detailed micromosaic medallion on the lid of this agate box is an incredible example of this diminutive art form. The elaborate micromosaic depicts...
Category
Antique 19th Century European Other Decorative Boxes
Materials
Agate
Georgian Tobacco Honesty Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This rare brass box would have been a coveted contraption in the finest English pubs of the 18th and 19th centuries. Known as an “honesty” box, the rectang...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Georgian Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Brass
German Mother of Pearl Snuff Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
Magnificent layers and inlays of multi-colored mother-of-pearl cover each side of this breathtaking German snuff box. Each incredibly detailed scene is framed by finely engraved yell...
Category
Antique 18th Century German Other Decorative Boxes
Materials
Gold
German Porcelain Snuff Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This important German porcelain snuff box exhibits delightful artistry and craftsmanship. Hand painted classical tableau celebrating the e...
Category
Antique 18th Century German Neoclassical Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Porcelain
Erotic Snuff Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
A scintillating Sapphic scene adorns the cover of this rare erotic snuff box. Set into the top of this burlwood and tortoiseshell container, this high...
Category
Antique 19th Century European Other Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Tortoise Shell, Glass
Chinese Cinnabar Lacquer Cuspidor
Located in New Orleans, LA
This intriguing Chinese zhadou is intricately carved of fine cinnabar lacquer. A work of exceptional artistry, this covered bowl is adorned with an intricately carved floral motif on all surfaces, including the cover and the wide rim. Also known as a cuspidor or spittoon, this rare container would have been used by members of the imperial family and scholar- officials at the court. Carved during the Kangxi period (1662-1722), this charming piece exhibits the high detail and charm associated with items from that period, making it a true treasure,
Early 18th century (Kangxi dynasty)
Measures: 6 ¼” wide x 3 ¼” high
Cinnabar has been revered for its color all over the world. It has been found in the royal burial chambers of the Mayas, in the rituals of India, and in the ruins of ancient Greece and Rome. In China, cinnabar and gold were the two most important elements in alchemy. Mined since the Neolithic Age, cinnabar is the ore of mercury, and as such, it can be incredibly toxic, especially when mining. In fact, during the Roman Empire, miners at Spain’s Almadén mine in Spain were frequently exposed to mercury fumes, and the subsequent, often fatal, sickness was considered an occupational hazard.
The most popular known use of cinnabar is in Chinese carved lacquer-ware, a technique that is believed to have originated in the Song Dynasty, in which cinnabar is ground to a powder and added to clear lacquer. As with mining, there was inherent danger of mercury poisoning for those who carved the lacquer, as mercury was also released into the air when artisans ground the pigments. Most antique cinnabar...
Category
Antique 18th Century Chinese Other Lacquer
Materials
Lacquer
Victorian Nécessaire de Voyage
Located in New Orleans, LA
A work of extraordinary craftsmanship, this exquisite English vanity case is as much an item of luxury as it is of necessity. Known as a nécessaire de voyage...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Jewelry Boxes
Materials
Velvet, Glass, Wood
Swiss Gold and Enamel Musical Vinaigrette
Located in New Orleans, LA
A musical movement distinguishes this wonderful early 19th-century gold vinaigrette box. The vessel is covered in delicate engraving highlighted by bl...
Category
Antique 19th Century Swiss Neoclassical Decorative Boxes
Materials
Metal
Micromosaic and Pietre Dure Grand Tour Casket
Located in New Orleans, LA
The time-honored decorative techniques of pietre dure and micromosaic are combined in this rare and exceptionally-crafted Grand Tour casket. Serving as a m...
Category
Antique 19th Century European Greco Roman Decorative Boxes
Materials
Stone, Bronze
Mother-of-Pearl Sewing Nécessaire
By Palais Royal
Located in New Orleans, LA
This captivating Palais Royal sewing nécessaire is crafted of engraved mother of pearl mounted in rich doré bronze. The hinged box contains a remov...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Other Decorative Boxes
Materials
Bronze
Burlwood Erotic Snuff Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
There is much more to this exquisite Georgian snuffbox than meets the eye. Beautifully crafted of striking burlwood, this unassuming box features a lining of precious tortoiseshell and a false bottom, which, when gently unscrewed, reveals a miniature erotic painting of exceptional detail. Erotic antiques...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Other Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Tortoise Shell, Burl
