Ellis Finch
Head of Knightsbridge Silver Department
Gold Boxes
Lot 56*
A late 18th century German gold and enamelled snuff box maker's mark of conjoined 'MA S' crowned, a mark immitating that of Jean-Baptiste Fouache and another imitating that of Julien Alaterre, possibly by Marc André Souchay, Hanau, circa 1795
25 April 2018, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £6,000 inc. premium
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Michael Moorcroft
Consultant
Anna Burnside
Head of Sale
A late 18th century German gold and enamelled snuff box
maker's mark of conjoined 'MA S' crowned, a mark immitating that of Jean-Baptiste Fouache and another imitating that of Julien Alaterre, possibly by Marc André Souchay, Hanau, circa 1795
Oval, the cover set with a central oval panel painted en plein and highlighted in paillons with two maidens in classical dress at the altar of Venus surrounded by trophies of love (a pair of doves, a faithful dog, rose garlands, a lyre and a quiver of arrows), within an enamelled frame of twisted blue silk and stiff leaves, on opaque blue enamel with similar border, the sides and base with similar blue enamel panels with paillons crescent and pellet borders, separated by vase pilasters, length 8cm, weight total 135gms.
Oval, the cover set with a central oval panel painted en plein and highlighted in paillons with two maidens in classical dress at the altar of Venus surrounded by trophies of love (a pair of doves, a faithful dog, rose garlands, a lyre and a quiver of arrows), within an enamelled frame of twisted blue silk and stiff leaves, on opaque blue enamel with similar border, the sides and base with similar blue enamel panels with paillons crescent and pellet borders, separated by vase pilasters, length 8cm, weight total 135gms.
Footnotes
For a discussion of the attribution to Marc André Souchay see Lorenz Seelig, 'Eighteenth Century Hanau Gold Boxes', published by the Silver Society of Canada. Certainly, the marks imitating the warden marks of Fouache and Alaterre on the present lot were used with the earlier 'FS' mark for Frères Souchay, Seelig Fig 38.
The later presentation inscription refers to Prince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov (30 May 1782–18 November 1856), a Russian prince and field-marshal, renowned for his success in the Napoleonic wars, and most famous for his participation in the Caucasian War from 1844 to 1853. At the battle of Borodino his division was in the front line and was attacked by three French divisions under Marshal Davout.
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