Live Auction 14971French & English Furniture from a Distinguished Private Collection
A GERMAN JEWELLED ENAMELLED GOLD SNUFF-BOX SET WITH AN ENAMEL MINIATURE
Lot 27

A GERMAN JEWELLED ENAMELLED GOLD SNUFF-BOX SET WITH AN ENAMEL MINIATURE

BY LES FRÈRES TOUSSAINT (FL. 1752-1803), MARKED, HANAU, CIRCA 1780, STRUCK WITH THE HANAU TOWN MARK FOR 19 CARAT GOLD, CROWNED LETTER K RESEMBLING THE PARISIAN DATE LETTER 1773/1774 AND A MARK RESEMBLING THE PARISIAN CHARGE MARK FOR 1768-1774 AND TWO FRENCH POST-1838 RESTRICTED WARRANTY MARKS FOR GOLD

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A GERMAN JEWELLED ENAMELLED GOLD SNUFF-BOX SET WITH AN ENAMEL MINIATURE
BY LES FRÈRES TOUSSAINT (FL. 1752-1803), MARKED, HANAU, CIRCA 1780, STRUCK WITH THE HANAU TOWN MARK FOR 19 CARAT GOLD, CROWNED LETTER K RESEMBLING THE PARISIAN DATE LETTER 1773/1774 AND A MARK RESEMBLING THE PARISIAN CHARGE MARK FOR 1768-1774 AND TWO FRENCH POST-1838 RESTRICTED WARRANTY MARKS FOR GOLD
oval box, the cover, sides and base set with panels of translucent red enamel on an engine-turned moiré pattern ground stamped at intervals with pellets within opaque white enamel frames, the cover centred with an oval enamel miniature depicting a young gentleman with powdered wig, in blue coat and grey cloak, within a silver-mounted old-mine cut diamond frame, the sablé gold borders and side pilasters applied with white enamelled beads alternating with translucent green enamelled trailing foliage
3. 3/8 in. (86 mm.) wide

Nathaniel Mayer Victor, 3rd Baron Rothschild (1910-1990).
The Lord Rothschild, G.B.E., G.M., F.R.S.; Christie's, London, 30 June 1982, lot 13.

Specialist note

Charles (1720-1790) and his brother Pierre-Etienne Toussaint (1726-1806) were Berlin bijoutiers of Huguenot descent who arrived in Hanau in 1752. Such was their influence amongst the Hanau goldsmiths that by 1762 they were employing several German craftsmen and chasers. In 1773 Etienne Flamant, an expert guillocheur originally from Geneva, signed a contract with the leading Hanau goldsmiths for them to supply him with around 385 to 430 gold boxes for decoration every year. Les Frères Toussaint agreed to supply him with 160 gold boxes a year, an extraordinarily high number that they were unable to fulfill. The marks on the current box were used by the company after the signing of the agreement with Flamant in 1773. For another box by this goldsmith see lot 35.