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Snuffbox

1875-1900 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This snuffbox bears no marks which indicate its place or date of manufacture. The sitter in the miniature likewise gives no clues to their identity or nationality. It can be reasonably suggested, however, that this box dates to about 1900 because of the dress worn in the portrait, and it may be that this box was made in Switzerland where many such boxes were produced throughout the 19th century.

Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Gold, enamel, set with diamonds and a glazed miniature
Brief description
Varicoloured gold, enamel, set with diamonds and a glazed miniature, Switzerland?, 1875-1900.
Physical description
Rectangular varicoloured gold snuffbox, the cover with a panel of translucent green enamel over an engraved sunburst, set with a miniature of a lady, under glass, surrounded by diamonds, all within a border of opaque white enamel and gold foliage. She is shown bust length, three quarters to the left, wearing a high-necked white dress. The walls and base are chased with scrolling foliage and flowers, and the base is set with an engine-turned panel.
Dimensions
  • Length: 9.1cm
  • Width: 6.5cm
  • Height: 1.9cm
Marks and inscriptions
No marks
Credit line
The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Object history
Provenance: J.S. Bourdon-Smith, London, 1995.
Summary
This snuffbox bears no marks which indicate its place or date of manufacture. The sitter in the miniature likewise gives no clues to their identity or nationality. It can be reasonably suggested, however, that this box dates to about 1900 because of the dress worn in the portrait, and it may be that this box was made in Switzerland where many such boxes were produced throughout the 19th century.

Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Bibliographic reference
Truman, Charles.The Gilbert collection of gold boxes, volume II, London: Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd., 1999, cat. no.52, p.84. ISBN.0856675210
Other numbers
  • GB 210
  • 1998.34 - The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House
  • GB 215 - Arthur Gilbert Number
  • 1998.17 - The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House
Collection
Accession number
LOAN:GILBERT.523-2008

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Record createdJune 19, 2008
Record URL
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