Louis XVI gold, tortoiseshell and gouache on paper miniature snuff box with pastoral & landscape scenes, France second half of the 18th century.

France second half of 18th century.

Louis XVI Snuff Box, Second half of the 18th Century (circa 1770–1789) France. Engraved gold mounts, tortoiseshell (Caretta Caretta, Linnaeus 1758) (écaille) interior lining, miniature gouache paintings on paper under protective glass. An exquisite French Louis XVI circular 18K gold and tortoiseshell snuff box of exceptional craftsmanship and refinement. The interior is fully lined with rich, translucent mottled tortoiseshell. The exterior is adorned with delicate gouache-painted miniatures on paper, protected under glass roundels and panels: the top cover: displays a charming rococo pastoral scene in the manner of François Boucher, depicting a young country couple tending to birds under a grand tree with a distant village landscape. Base: features an idyllic capriccio landscape with classical architectural ruins, a tower, an arched stone gatehouse, a riverbank, and miniature figures. The side frieze: wrapped in a continuous miniature landscape band detailing lush trees, rolling hills, and rural dwellings. The painted panels are set within delicate gold borders masterfully engraved and chased with classic Louis XVI Neoclassical motifs, including laurel borders and guilloché patterns; remarkable antique condition given its age and fragile medium. The gouache miniatures retain vivid palette nuances and sharp detail. The gold mounts are crisp. Stamped on the inner bezel rims of both the cover and the base with 18th century parisian gold tax and control marks: The Parisian maison commune / charge mark, indicating the standard assay of gold (circa 1770–1789). The décharge or control mark (poinçon de décharge) featuring a profile head of Mercury facing left (wearing a petasus), verifying the legal standard of gold items and official tax exemption or inspection.

1” – 2,5 CM H 2,5” – 6,5 CM L 2,5” – 6,5 CM D

REF: D596