Four 18th century Meissen "Chinoiserie" snuff boxes from the Helmut Joseph Collection

29 juin 2011

Four 18th century Meissen "Chinoiserie" snuff boxes from the Helmut Joseph Collection

A Meissen silver-gilt-mounted underglaze-blue-ground snuff box, circa 1740. Photo Bonhams

Cartouche-shaped, the sides reserved with four oval panels painted with chinoiserie scenes within gilt scrollwork borders, the corners with, at the front, gilt foliage, and scrollwork at the rear, the cover similarly decorated, reserved with a band of indianische Blumen, the base painted with a chinoiserie scene, the inside cover painted with a bust of a bearded man wearing a turban and scattered insects, within a brown-edged quatrelobe reserve against a burnished gilt ground, the box interior with a burnished gilt ground, 7.6cm across; 3.9cm high (minor wear). Estimate: £20,000 - 30,000, € 23,000 - 34,000, US$ 33,000 - 49,000

Literature: Joseph 1977, ill. 4;
Beaucamp-Markowsky 1985, no. 26;
Beaucamp-Markowsky 1988, no. 7

Exhibited: London, Victoria & Albert Museum, British Antiques Dealers' Association, Fiftieth Anniversary Exhibition, 29 April-12 May 1968;
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, 1972-2003;
London, Gilbert Collection, Somerset House, 2003-2008;
Barnard Castle, Co. Durham, The Bowes Museum, 2008-2010

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An extremely rare Meissen silver-gilt-mounted red-ground circular snuff box, circa 1735-40. Photo Bonhams

Painted on each side, the base and cover with a 'contour' chinoiserie scene depicting figures engaged in various amusing pursuits, within a shaped, gilt-edged quatrelobe reserve, the inside cover with a similar scene, the interior gilt, the mount applied with a scroll thumbpiece, 6cm diam.; 4cm high (wear to edge of base). Estimate: £20,000 - 30,000, € 23,000 - 34,000, US$ 33,000 - 49,000

Provenance: Anon. sale, Christie's Geneva, 12 November 1976, lot 161;
Anon. sale, Christie's Geneva, 9 November 1987, lot 69

Literatue: Beaucamp-Markowsky 1988, no. 9

Exhibited: Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, 1987-2003;
London, Gilbert Collection, Somerset House, 2003-2008;
Barnard Castle, Co. Durham, The Bowes Museum, 2008-2010

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A Meissen silver-gilt-mounted sea-green-ground oval snuff box, circa 1730. Photo Bonhams

The front, back and cover with a chinoiserie scene depicting figures by an estuary or harbour, within a gilt-edged quatrelobe reserve, the base with chrysantheums against a ground of iron-red leaves, the burnished gilt interior with a quatrelobe chinoiserie scene reserved inside the cover, 7.5cm wide, (minor losses). Estimate: £15,000 - 20,000, € 17,000 - 23,000, US$ 25,000 - 33,000

Provenance:: Anon. sale, Sotheby's London, 27 June 1961, lot ??;
Alfred Joseph Collection, no. 1268

Literature: Beaucamp-Markowsky 1985, no. 24;
Beaucamp-Markowsky 1988, no. 6

Exhibited: Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, 1972-2003;
London, Gilbert Collection, Somerset House, 2003-2008;
Barnard Castle, Co. Durham, The Bowes Museum, 2008-2010

A similar Meissen snuff-box is in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London (Inv. no. 2333-1855).

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A Meissen gold-mounted snuff box, circa 1735-40. Photo Bonhams

Decorated with three miniature chinoiserie scenes at the front, each within a gilt scrollwork and Böttger lustre cartouche, the sides and back with similar, wider cartouches, the cover with chinoiserie figures and flowering branches on a gilt scrollwork pedestal enclosing Böttger lustre, trellis panels and an oval purple monochrome landscape vignette, the base with a large chinoiserie vignette within a moulded border with a gilt line inside and a gilt border outside, the inside cover with a scene of a man embracing a lady seated at a dressing table within a gilt frame, the box interior gilt, 7.5cm wide, (small restored chip to rear left corner of outside of cover). Estimate: £15,000 - 20,000, € 17,000 - 23,000, US$ 25,000 - 33,000

Literature: Joseph 1977, ills. 6-8;
Beaucamp-Markowsky 1988, no. 8

Exhibited: Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, c. 1977-2003;
London, Gilbert Collection, Somerset House, 2003-2008;
Barnard Castle, Co. Durham, The Bowes Museum, 2008-2010

Bonhams. The Helmut Joseph Collection of Important Snuff Boxes, 5 Jul 2011. London, New Bond Street www.bonhams.com

Posté par Alain Truong à 23:00 - Commentaires […] - Permalien [#]

Tags: 18th century, Meissen, chinoiserie, snuff box, Helmut Joseph Collection