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Lot 55
A very rare gold-mounted shell-shaped snuff box, probably Vezzi, circa 1725
5 July 2011, 10:30 BST
London, New Bond Street£12,000 - £18,000
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A very rare gold-mounted shell-shaped snuff box, probably Vezzi, circa 1725
Decorated in gilding over a red ground, the cover and base moulded in relief with a stylised shell against a gilt ground tooled with a trellis pattern, the ribs decorated with gilt bellflower motifs and dots, the sides with exotic birds, animals, plants and a figure, the inside cover with a vignette of three chinoiserie figures, the inside of the box with a chinoiserie figure seated on a cushion, 8.1cm wide (some wear)
Footnotes
Literature:
Beaucamp-Markowsky 1985, no. 458;
Beaucamp-Markowsky 1988, no. 96
Exhibited:
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, 1972-2003;
London, Gilbert Collection, Somerset House, 2003-2008;
Barnard Castle, Co. Durham, The Bowes Museum, 2008-2010
The technique of applying gilding over a base of red was most notably practiced by the Vezzi manufactory; see, for example, the rare plate in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (EC.32-1945), and a bowl with a somewhat similar chinoiserie figure (published by Mottola Molfino 1976, nos. 89 and 87-88, respectively).
