A LOUIS XV GILT-EMBOSSED LEATHER BOX CONTAINING 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY BUTTONS

A LOUIS XV GILT-EMBOSSED LEATHER BOX CONTAINING 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY BUTTONS
THE BOX CIRCA 1740, RETAILED BY LEON GRUEL, PARIS
The lid embossed with the coat-of-arms of Melun, Prince d'Epinoy and Duc de Joyeuse and now adapted to enclose nine layers of buttons, the top layer of fifteen porcelain buttons painted with songbirds; the first drawer of forty-six emerald and diamond paste-set buttons; the second drawer of thirty-three Wedgewood and giltmetal and black tôle buttons, one depicting Montgolfier's balloon; the third drawer of thirty-one buttons set with portrait miniatures of royalty and French satirical scenes; the fourth drawer of thirty-seven diamond paste and painted gilt-glass buttons; the fifth drawer of twenty-five painted silk and ivory buttons depicting Louis XVI and his court; the sixth drawer of thirty-three painted glass and grisaille landscape-set buttons; the seventh drawer of watercolour landscape and sepia figure-set buttons; the eighth drawer of thirty-two mother-of-pearl, paste, glass and cloisonné enamel buttons
the box - 20 1/8 in. (51 cm.) wide; the buttons - from ¾ in. (17 mm.) to 1½ in. (38 mm.) diam.