| Description
The cartouche-shaped box is
made from mother-of-pearl
plaques mounted in a cage of gold chased
in three colours. This is decorated with flowers and scrolls, set
with circular cut diamonds, and encrusted with flowers and foliage
of citrine, amethyst
and coloured or foiled quartz.
The rim of the cover is set with a profusion of diamonds, some foiled,
including three large cushion-shaped diamonds and one pear-shaped
diamond over a pink foil ground and ruby flowers.
Commentary
This snuffbox is without doubt one of the most flamboyant of the
surviving boxes commissioned by Frederick II, the Great of Prussia.
It was made in Berlin around 1765, possibly by Daniel Baudesson,
and is notable for the variety of jewels, hardstones and precious
and semi-precious materials used in its construction and decoration.
Other examples that display the same technique
of raised hardstone flowers can be found in the Louvre, Paris, and
the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Glossaries
cartouche-shaped - in
the shape of curled paper or parchment scrolls
mother-of-pearl - the hard pearly internal layer
of various kinds of oysters, mussels and other shells
chase - to decorate a metal surface using a hammer
and sharp tool
citrine - a brownish-yellow semiprecious variety
of quartz
amethyst - translucent violet variety of quartz
used as a gemstone
foiled - placing metal foil behind gemstones to
reflect the light
back to the
collection
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Snuffbox commissioned by Frederick II,
the Great of Prussia and made in Berlin around 1765. |
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the
Gilbert silver