Antique Russian Neoclassical Gold and Agate Snuff Box Circa 1820s

Our gold snuff box is distinguished by its exceptional portrait of Emperor Napoleon I (1769-1821) by the revered miniature painter, Jean-Baptiste Isabey (1767–1855), signed and dated 1807. Isabey portrays the emperor in the green uniform of the chasseurs a cheval with red sash and silver breast-star of the Imperial French Order of the Legion of Honour. Pinned to his left lapel are the badges of the Imperial French Order of the Legion of Honour and the badge of the Royal Italian Order of the Iron Crown of Lombardy. The portrait is bordered by blue enamel and an outer border of rosettes and leaves. 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 by 5/8 inches.  Weight:  135 g, 4.76 oz, 4.34 troy oz. Hallmarks on the underside of this German-made box include an assay mark, a lion rampant and maker's mark which is heavily worn. Born in Nancy, France, Isabey arrived in Paris in 1785 to study with Jacques-Louis David. His earliest clients included the family of Eugène Rose de Beauharnais...

Our charming and rare cellaret in the form of a mosque is crafted from fruitwood and brass. It has a center dome and four smaller domes each decorated with brass crescent moons, each removeable to reveal compartments below to accommodate up to five bottles. The mosque form of the box makes it very unusual and rare for a wine casket.

Our late Regency period strongbox features gilt neoclassical mounts including lion masks and rosettes at the sides, Roman Tuscan style columns at the front corners, figurative panel ...

Our gold damascened Renaissance Revival jewelry chest by Antonio Cortelazzo (1819-1903) was commissioned by the English lawyer and antiquarian, Sir William Drake (1817-1890) and exhibited by the artist at the 1872 International Exhibition in London. It features a pair of dragons supporting the arms of Drake plus repoussé trophies and gold-ground scrollwork, raised on scroll and mask feet.  The lid is signed CORTELAZZO VICENZA FECIT 1870. With original descriptions written in ink on paper. The first reads "Steel Casket damascened gold and ornamented with 4 plaques of repousse work by Cortelazzo of Vincenza. Coll: Sir W R Drake S.L.A." where the initials refer to the Society of Antiquaries of London. The second similarly reads "Casket of Steel damascened with gold and ornamented with four plaques of silver repousse work. By Cortelazzo of Vincenza. Lent by Sir William Drake." Exhibition: International Exhibition of 1872, London. Provenance: The Collection of Sir William Drake, F.S.A., Christie's, London, June 30, 1891, lot 602, 33 GBP. The Collection of M.F. Adie Esq., purchased circa 1950 from H.W. Keil Ltd, Broadway, Worcestershire, England. Literature: The Official Catalogue, Fine Arts Department London, International Exhibition of 1872, London, J.M. Johnson & Sons, Victoria and Albert Museum. (See images here in our listing.) The Art Journal, London, 1872, p 2. Nineteenth Century Silver, J. Culme, London, 1977, p 17. The Layards, Cortelazzo and Castellani: New Information from the Diaries of Lady Layard, Jewellery Studies I, J. Rudoe, 1983, p 86. A Renaissance-Revival Masterpiece by Antonio Cortelazzo, B. Shifman, Cleveland Studies in the History of Art, vol 8, p 103. In 1872 The Art Journal Catalogue wrote "Among the art gems of the present exhibition are to be found the productions from the hand of Antonio Cortelazzo of Vicenza, now as well known in England for his skill as a metalworker as he is appreciated among his fellow workers in his native italy by whom he is recognized as Facile Princeps in the art. In the mechanical skill with which he inlays metal upon metal he has his rivals; but in the combination of that process with purity of design and artistic fancy of ornament which distinguishes all his works, he stands unrivalled. The 'Coffre' is in intarsia of gold and silver (partly flat and in other parts relief) on steel. It is one of numerous specimens of Cortelazzo's work which are to be found in the collection of Sir William Drake, one of the principal English patrons of the artist whose genius is now fully appreciated. Drake was a wealthy lawyer and collector of contemporary as well as renaissance and baroque works of art. A client of the connoisseur and dealer William Blundell Spence, Sir William acquired works by leading artists of the period including the Florentine sculptor and wood carver, Luigi Frullini (1839-1897), English art potters, the Martin brothers, and the celebrated goldsmith and damascener, Placido Zuloaga...

Our rare, 18th century ceremonial casket in the form of a Venetian gondola is expertly carved from walnut with gilt cartouches depicting figures and s...

Our 19th century bronze bust of a lovely neoclassical female with diadem crown, known as Buste de Femme au Diadème, by Eugene Aizelin (French, 1821-1902) was cast by Barbedienne of P...

Antique 19th silver tobacco box, from 1820s.    

Rectangular box with rounded corners. The hinged lid as well as the bottom are embellished with an intricate geometric pattern framed with rinceaux motifs on a matte gold background....

The mottled brown agate with translucence when held to light. The cover with a gold rope twist edge above hinged clasp with wreath and berry design above a cushion base

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 ...

Casket Biedermeier, around 1830 Walnut veneered, hinged with interior dividers and small drawers, restored condition Shellac polish Dimensions: Height: 18 cm Width: 30 cm ...

An exceptional, fine and impressive antique French 20 karat tri-coloured gold snuff box; an addition to our 19th century collection. This exceptional antique French 20k yellow gold snuff box has an oval shaped form. The body of this antique box is embellished with panels of engine turned and tooled decoration, incorporating circular and floral motifs. Each incurved cornered panel is encompassed with applied simplified foliate festoon and column style borders, accented with tri-colored gold highlights. This impressive antique 20ct gold box...