Lot 126. An important Saxon gold-mounted ‘Stein-Cabinet’ bonbonnière set with a micromosaic plaque, by Johann-Christian Neuber (1736-1808), Dresden, circa 1785, the micromosaic attributed to Giacomo Faffaelli (fl. 1753-1836), Rome, circa 1785-1800. Estimate £250,000-350,000. © Christie’s Images Limited 2016.

LONDON.- Opulence is an exciting new curated sale format at Christie’s which selects furniture and works of art of defined by rarity and artistry with an emphasis on opulence. The sale presents a broad range of luxurious works of art, expertly crafted from precious materials, from Georgian silver candelabra, to gem-set gold boxes and gilt-bronze mounted French furniture and Italian marble statuary. Highlights include an exquisite gold-mounted hardstone ‘Stein-Cabinet’ bonbonnière by Johann-Christian Neuber leads the sale (£250,000-350,000 Lot 162). A previously unrecorded masterpiece by Neuber, who was famed as court jeweller to Friedrich Augustus III (1750-1827), Elector of Saxony, the box is patterned with a mosaic of prized minerals and hardstones between strips of gold, a technique called Zellen mosaic. The top is set with a micromosaic butterfly attributed to Giacomo Rafaelli of Rome.Highlights also feature a George III silver candelabra commissioned by Thomas Dawson, 1st Viscount Cremorne (1725-1813), from John Wakelin, of such original and fluid design that it could be mistaken for a work by a contemporary maker (£70,000-100,000). 

Lot 126. An important Saxon gold-mounted ‘Stein-Cabinet’ bonbonnière set with a micromosaic plaque, by Johann-Christian Neuber (1736-1808), Dresden, circa 1785, the micromosaic attributed to Giacomo Faffaelli (Fl. 1753-1836), Rome, circa 1785-1800. Estimate £250,000-350,000 (USD 314,000 - USD 439,600). © Christie’s Images Limited 2016

circular gold-lined 'Stein Cabinets Tabatière' inlaid with 85 numbered specimens of hardstones, including a variety of dendritic and banded agates, carnelian, chalcedony, jasper, amethyst and quartz mounted within narrow peaked gold-bands, the detachable cover consisting of trapezoidal thin opaque hardstone panels within gold mounts numbered 1 to 24, radiating from a central circular micromosaic plaque depicting a colourful butterfly on a white ground with a red, white and black tesserae border, within a chased gold frame, the base similarly designed with trapezoidal hardstone panels numbered 49 to 85 radiating from a central circular panel of banded agate, the sides inlaid with rectangular hardstone panels numbered 25 to 48 within narrow peaked gold bands, chased entrelac and ovolo gold borders, in original tooled brown leather case - 3 1/8 in. (80 mm.) diam.

Notes: Previously unrecorded, this bonbonnière by Neuber is one of a number of his boxes that are set with micromosaics by the Italian artist Giacomo Raffaelli. Born in Neuwunsdorf on 7 April 1736, Johann-Christian Neuber was apprenticed at the age of seventeen to Johann Friedrich Trechaon. On 13 July 1762 he became a master of the goldsmith's guild in Dresden, and in 1769 he succeeded Heinrich Tadell as director of the Green Vaults. By 1775 he had been appointed Hofjuwelier to the court of Friedrich Augustus III. Neuber exploited Saxony’s rich resources of minerals and hardstones from the mines of Bohemia and Silesia for his gold boxes. The stones were set in a mosaic pattern between strips of gold, a technique called Zellen mosaik. A bonbonnière by Neuber in The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, is set with micromosaic panels of a dog on the cover and a butterfly on the base. The style of these, especially the butterfly on the base of the box, bear close relation to the mosaics of Giacomo Raffaelli and his studio. Raffaelli was Roman by birth and achieved notable success early in his career. By 1775 he was already well known as a skilled micromosaicist, creating complex compositions using tiny tesserae made from spun enamel of exceptional finesse, a technical innovation made possible through the work of the chemist Alessio Mattioli. He was extensively patronised by Pope Pius XV (d. 1799), and worked in both the Vatican workshops as well as from his own studio in the Piazza di Spagna. Raffaelli was also a successful dealer in high quality works of art - not all of which were made by him. His work often depicted butterflies, an insect which had in Roman times symbolised the belief that the soul leaves the body through the mouth at the time of death and so subsequently represented rebirth. The incorporation of Roman mosaics on boxes made in Dresden clearly demonstrates the popularity of this medium throughout Europe. For another butterfly micromosaic by Giacomo Raffaelli see D. Petochi, I mosaici minuti Romani, Florence, 1981, p. 111, pl. 33. 

Lot 163. A George III silver two-light candelabrum, mark of John Wakelin and Robert Garrard, London, 1810. Estimate GBP 70,000 - GBP 100,000 (USD 87,920 - USD 125,600). © Christie’s Images Limited 2016

On circular base, the baluster stem and base entirely cast and chased with swirling flutes, the similarly chased branches with plain wax pans and detachable short reed and-tie cast nozzles, with central cast flame finials, the sockets engraved with a crest below viscount's coronet, marked on base, branches, finial and sockets, the bases engraved with scratchweight 'No. 3 90=5' ; 17 1/4 in. (44 cm.) high; 90 oz. 3 dwt. (2,804 gr.)
The crest is that of Dawson for Thomas Dawson, 1st Baron Cremorne, later 1st Viscount Cremorne (1725-1813)

Provenance: Commissioned by Thomas Dawson, 1st Viscount Cremorne (1725-1813), from John Wakelin and Robert Garrard to match a set delivered on 21 May 1791 and 21 December 1791, then by descent to his great-nephew 
Richard Thomas, 2nd Baron Cremorne (1788-1827), then by descent.

Notes: Thomas Dawson, 1st Viscount Cremorne (1725-1813) 

Thomas Dawson was the first surviving son of Richard Dawson (d.1766) of Dawson Grove and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John Vesey, Archbishop of Tuam. The 18th century wealth of the family was made by his father, the banker Alderman Richard Dawson (d.1766). Thomas, 1st Viscount Cremorne was able to pursue a long political career, acquire a number of titles and commission houses in Ireland and London. He was a patron of the architect James Wyatt and the artists Thomas Lawrence and Johann Zoffany. Dawson was M.P. co. Monaghan and was raised to the Irish House of Lords as Baron Dartrey of Dawson’s Grove in 1770 Viscount Cremorne in 1785. The death of his first wife must have greatly affected him as he commissioned James Wyatt (1746-1813) to raise a magnificent mausoleum in her memory. It enclosed a sculpture by Joseph Wilton (1722-1803). 

Cremorne enlarged his Chelsea villa, Cremorne House employing James Wyatt and the landscape gardener and surveyor Nathaniel Richmond (1723-1784). It was here and at his Mayfair house that he was visited by King George III, Queen Charlotte and the Prince of Wales on numerous occasions. Lord Cremorne’s second wife, Philadelphia (1740-1826), daughter of Thomas Freame and grand-daughter of William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, was a lady-in-waiting to the Queen. Lord Uxbridge, who commissioned a set of four matching candelabra in 1792, possibly admired the original Cremorne pair at a dinner or soirée at Cremorne House. This could explain the entry for Lord Uxbridge’s candelabra in the silversmiths’ ledgers which describe them as being ‘like Cremornes’.

Further highlights feature a silver dinner service (lots 315-322) originally part of the treasury of the Electors of Hanover and which until 1837, formed part of the Royal plate of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain. Lot 317 is a 72 piece table service from the ‘D’ service of Georg Ludwig, Elector of Hanover and King George I of Great Britain (1660-1727) which passed by descent in the Royal family of Great Britain and Hanover until the death of King William IV in 1837, when the two kingdoms separated under two monarchs (£30,000-50,000).

Lot 317.  A German royal silver table-service, the forks and twenty-three spoons mark of Lewin Dedeke, Celle, circa 1700, one spoon and the knives apparently unmarked. Estimate GBP 30,000 - GBP 80,000 (USD 37,680 - USD 100,480). © Christie’s Images Limited 2016

Dog-nose pattern, the knives with fluted terminal, the spoons with rat tail, each engraved with the Royal arms of Hanover below an elector’s bonnet and flanked by the initials G[eorg] L[udwig] C[hurfürst], the forks and twenty-three spoons each marked on handle with maker’s mark only, the knives and one spoon apparently unmarked, the spoons and forks each engraved with inventory numbers the spoons 15, 1.15, 16, 1.16, 17, 1.17, 18, 1.20, 1.21, 1.22, 1.23, 1.25, 1.28, 1.29, 1.30, 1.31, 1.32, 1,33, 1.34, 1.35, 1.36, 1.38, 1.39 and 1.40, the forks: 1.12, 1.13, 14, 15, 1.15, 16, 1.16, 18, 1.19, 1.20, 1.21, 1.22, 1.23, 1.24, 1.25, 1.26, 1.27, 1.28, 1.29, 1.30, 1.31, 1.32, 1.33 and 1.34, comprising: 
Twenty-four table-spoons
Twenty-four table-forks 
Twenty-four table-knives, twenty-two with modern stainless steel blades, two with steel blades
weighable silver 119 oz. 13 dwt. (3,722 gr.)
The arms and monogram are those of Georg Ludwig, Elector of Hanover (r.1708-1727) and King George I of Great Britain (r.1714-1727), as Elector-Designate of Hanover between 1698 and 1708.

Provenance: From the ‘D’ service of Georg Ludwig, Elector of Hanover and King George I of Great Britain (1660-1727) and by descent in the Royal family of Great Britain and Hanover until the death of King William IV in 1837, when the two kingdoms separated under two monarchs. 
Ernest Augustus, 1st Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover (r.1837-1851), fifth son of King George III of Great Britain and brother of King William IV and by descent to his son 
George V of Hanover, 2nd Duke of Cumberland (1819–1878) and King of Hanover until 1866 and by descent to his son
Ernest Augustus II, Crown Prince of Hanover, 3rd Duke of Cumberland (1845–1923) and then by descent 
Works of Art from the Royal House of Hanover; Sotheby’s, Schloss Marienburg, 5-15 October 2005, lot 1136.

Portrait of King George I. After Sir Godfrey Kneller.

Literature: Recorded in the 'Inventory of Silver of the Royal and Electoral Court’,Hanover, 1747', p. 24 section 4 as twenty four of ‘6 dozen knives, oval with square ends 27 lbs [sic] 1 1/8 loth’ [approx 2 oz. 17 dwt. each]; twenty four of ‘6 dozen forks with three prongs 24 lbs [sic] 14 3/8 loth’[approx 2 oz. 12 dwt. each] and ’6 dozen spoons 26 lbs [sic] 8 loth’[approx 2 oz. 15 dwt. each].

From the Count Agusta collection of gold boxes (Lots 14-54) comes this snuff-box of petrified or agatized wood applied with pierced gold cagework with cover depicting Venus imploring Adonis (£40,000-60,000 lot 47). Italian aeronautics manufacturer Agusta was founded in in Samarate, Northern Italy by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923, who few his frst airplane in 1907. Following Italy’s defeat in WW2 Forbidden to manufacture aircraft engines, Agusta turned to motorcycle production and became Arguably the greatest team in Grand Prix racing history. 

Lot 47. A German gold-mounted enamelled hardstone snuff-box, probably Dresden, circa 1740. Estimate GBP 40,000 - GBP 60,000 (USD 50,240 - USD 75,360). © Christie’s Images Limited 2016.

rectangular box of agatized wood, the cover, sides and base applied with pierced gold cagework, the cover depicting Venus imploring Adonis not to leave her to go on his ill-fated boar hunt, the base with dancing putti, all amidst scrolling foliage, flowerheads, birds and insects, the flange with an opaque dark blue lapis lazuli enamel border, scalloped flange; 3 1/8 in. (78 mm.) wide

Note: Chemnitz is a city located near the border of Germany and the Czech Republic, and one of the city's most important landmarks is the Petrified Forest. From 1737, when this ancient landmark was first discovered, members of the Saxon Court in Dresden harvested the petrified or agatized wood and had it transformed into precious objects such as snuff-boxes and jewellery. The celebrated Dresden goldsmith Johann-Christian Neuber (1736-1808) used the stone from Chemnitz in many of his snuff-boxes. 

The immense Royal Hanoverian silver collection charts the rise of the Electors of Hanover and refected their increasing wealth and infuence following their succession to the throne of Great Britain and Ireland. In the report of ‘Their Majestie’s Grand Fete at Windsor Castle’ in 1805, The Gentleman’s Magazine commented that ‘the whole service of plate displayed that night was supposed to be the most magnifcent in Europe’. The silver collection had been brought to England via St. Petersburg to prevent it falling into the hands of Napoleon’s army. The importance of the Royal Hanoverian silver collection is highlighted by the recent re-installation on the Royal Hanover silver in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The Museum created a grand bufet, in the style of 17th and 18th century displays, as the centre piece of the Koch Gallery, the ‘grandest, most majestic gallery’ in the museum. The aim of the museum’s director Malcom Rogers was ‘to evoke a great hall in a European palace’.