ANTIQUE SNUFF or PILL BOX WITH EMBOSSED GOLD FOIL LID
A gorgeous and very unusual papier-mâché or cardboard pill or snuff box. On the lid, under a thin glass cover it has a repoussé, or impressed, gold coloured foil image of a woman with cows and sheep under trees with a green edge. The glass has very tiny elongated air bubbles within it, visible with a jeweller’s loupe. The edges of the lid and base have a delicate, metallic looking, paper doily flower pattern attached over a red foil base. The base is bare with a handwritten name of a previous owner – ‘Alice’.
The inside is equally intriguing. The base and lid have embossed images. The lid has a turquoise coloured image of ‘angels’ with halos kneeling beside a Christian cross. The base has a risqué image in pink of a man and woman in classical attire. The words above spell ‘La Rancontre Desire’ – which I translated as a misspelling of the French ‘la rencontre désiré’ meaning The Desired Encounter – could this little box have once held something more exciting than snuff or pills?! The misspelling makes me think that this could be British made box in French style, especially with the name Alice on the base.
This delightful box would be perfect as a wedding ring box, gift box, or for storing small pieces of jewellery like earrings etc.
Condition: Usable, but delicate. Some marks. Requires careful treatment. The paper patterns attached to the edges are worn in places. The interior colour is faded on the raised parts, with a pale faded patch on the turquoise lid interior.
Diameter: 6.2 cm (2 ½ in)
Height: 2 cm (¾ in)
Weight: 18 g (0.6 oz)
Age: 18th to early 19th Century
Stock number: 3967
PRICE £190 (incs UK shipping)
To view or purchase this on Minerva by the Sea please click here: Antique Snuff or Pill Box
or email us on: info@minervacompany.uk
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