Lot 202. Two English gold-mounted shell boxes; the turritella box, London, circa 1765; the cancellaria shell with mark of David Arthur Thomas, London, 1966. The turritella: 4 in. (10 cm.) long; the cancellaria: 31⁄2 in. (9 cm.). Price Realised GBP 3,276 (Estimate GBP 2,000 - GBP 3,000). © Christie's 2022

The turritella shell applied at the hinged cover with rococo border of scrolls and flowers, the cover rim with white enamelled band reading 'NUL PLAISIR SANS VOUS VOIR', the cover lined inside with gold; the cancellaria shell with hinged cover lined with gold partly chased to simulate the shell texture, marked inside the cover. 

The Anthony and Marietta Coleridge Collection.

Provenance: The turritella: S. J. Phillips, Grosvenor House Antiques Fair;
The cancerallia: Christie's, South Kensington, 23 January 1990, lot 59.

Lot 204. A George III Scottish silver and two late Georgian silver and silver-plated cowrie shell snuff-boxes, mark of William Scott, Dundee, circa 1780; the other two, late 18th-early 19th century; 35⁄8 in. (9.2 cm.), 31⁄2 in. (9 cm.) and 4 in. (10.2 cm.) long. Price Realised GBP 1,512 (Estimate GBP 1,500 - GBP 2,500). © Christie's 2022

The Dundee box engraved on the hinged cover with geometrical friezes and in the centre with initials GF; the half shell silver-mounted box engraved around the hinge with foliate scrolls on reeded ground; the silver-plated shell engraved with initials PD.

The Anthony and Marietta Coleridge Collection.

Provenance: The Dundee box: Steppes Hill Farm Antiques, Olympia Antiques Fair, 29 February 1996.

Lot 206. Four silver, silver-gilt and gilt-metal cowrie shell snuff-boxes; one silver-gilt with mark for Penza, 1856, maker's mark PS in cyrillic; one silver, apparently unmarked, late 18th century; 3 1⁄2 in. (9 cm.); 5 7⁄8 in. (7.3 cm.); the last two: 3 1⁄8 in. (8 cm.) long. Price Realised GBP 2,016 (Estimate GBP 2,000 - GBP 3,000). © Christie's 2022

The Russian box cover with part shell and plain silver-gilt mount, marked on the mounts; the silver box with mother-of-pearl cover engraved with birds on flower ground; one with gilt-metal cover embossed and chased with two birds surrounded by rococo scrolls and flowers on matted ground; another gilt-metal one with mother-of-pearl cover chased with two lovebirds on a backdrop of flowers.

The Anthony and Marietta Coleridge Collection.

Provenance: The Russian box: Christie's, London, 14 December 1994, lot 584
The gilt-metal box: Christie's, South Kensington, 23 January 1990, lot 56.

Christie's. Five Private Collections. London, 5 July - 19 July 2022