An exceptional rectangular gold snuff box created in the workshop of the Frères Jordan in Hanau, representing an outstanding example of German decorative arts at the turn of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Crafted in 14-carat gold, the box is richly adorned with refined enamel decoration, combining architectural clarity of form with painterly sophistication.
The lid is decorated with a finely executed miniature painted in the en pleine enamel technique. The scene is based on the composition “Tom and his Pigeons” (1792) by the English artist John Russell (1745–1806), depicting a child rescuing pigeons – a sentimental allegory of kindness, compassion, and moral virtue. The miniature is distinguished by delicate facial modelling, subtle tonal transitions, and meticulous attention to detail characteristic of late 18th-century English genre painting.
The central enamel painting is framed by an elegant ornamental border featuring green ivy motifs rendered in two-tone enamel and set within finely chased gold bands, complemented by panels of white enamel. The sides of the box are decorated with white enamel fields divided by vertical gold bands, creating a harmonious, architecturally balanced rhythm. Floral ornaments engraved in gold and highlighted with polychrome enamel further enhance the decorative richness and attest to the exceptional craftsmanship.
The interior surfaces of both lid and base are fully gilded and finely polished, preserving the warm lustre of the precious metal.
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SILVER Seller in Alpes-Maritimes, France
