Live Auction 10397Centuries of Style: Silver, European Ceramics, Portrait Miniatures and Gold Boxes
AN IMPERIAL FRENCH ENAMELLED GOLD PRESENTATION SNUFF-BOX
Lot 251

AN IMPERIAL FRENCH ENAMELLED GOLD PRESENTATION SNUFF-BOX

BY ÉTIENNE-LUCIEN BLERZY (FL. 1801-1808), MARKED, PARIS, WITH THE POST-1798 UNOFFICIAL STANDARD MARK FOR 18-CARAT GOLD AND THE PARISIAN STANDARD MARK FOR GOLD 1809-1819, THE FLANGE ENGRAVED WITH RETAILER'S NAME AND INVENTORY NUMBER 52 AND INSCRIBED BY THE RETAILER 'MARGUERITE JOAILLIER DE LA COURONNE DE LEURS MAJESTES IMPERIALES ET ROYALES'

Closed3 June 2015

Price Realised

GBP 110,500

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AN IMPERIAL FRENCH ENAMELLED GOLD PRESENTATION SNUFF-BOX
BY ÉTIENNE-LUCIEN BLERZY (FL. 1801-1808), MARKED, PARIS, WITH THE POST-1798 UNOFFICIAL STANDARD MARK FOR 18-CARAT GOLD AND THE PARISIAN STANDARD MARK FOR GOLD 1809-1819, THE FLANGE ENGRAVED WITH RETAILER'S NAME AND INVENTORY NUMBER 52 AND INSCRIBED BY THE RETAILER 'MARGUERITE JOAILLIER DE LA COURONNE DE LEURS MAJESTES IMPERIALES ET ROYALES'
rectangular gold box with canted corners, the cover inset with a sablé gold panel chased with raised scrolling foliate Napoleonic initial 'N', the sides and base with panels of engine-turning within opaque blue enamel frames and opaque black enamel taille d'épargne outer borders and pilasters
3½ in. (90 mm.) wide

Specialist note

Napoleon Bonaparte 1769-1821, a French military and political leader, rose to prominence during the latter stages of the French Revolution and from 1804 was styled Napoleon I, Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815. His reign lasted until 22 June 1815 when he was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo, exiled and imprisoned on the island of Saint Helena, where he died on 5 May 1821.
Étienne-Lucien Blerzy is known to have collaborated in the creation of boxes for the Emperor with the court jeweller Nicolas Marguerite, who received between March and August 1806, an order from the Imperial court for 100 gold boxes, decorated with diamonds, ciphers and portraits to the value of 380,688Fr.